HEALTH CENTRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26274, 4 October 1946, Page 6

HEALTH CENTRE

HUTT VALLEY SCHEME FUNCTIONS OUTLINED tPA.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 3. A health centre scheme for the new State housing areas in the Hutt Valley which allows no private practice by doctors has been detailed by the Hutt Valley Health Centre Committee. The Government is reported to favour the plan, the broad outlines of which have already been opposed by the British Medical Association. The organisation, control, and finance of the health centres proposed for Epuni, Naenae, and Taita is dealt witn in a report by the committee. It states that the previous opposition to the scheme by the B.M.A. was that while a grouping of preventive and educational agencies might be desirable, no interference to a doctor’s private curative practice should be permitted. , . The committee's plan is for the State to provide the health centre buildings and equipment and undertake routine maintenance. Each centre would combine preventive and curative services, including, on the preventive side, some or all of the fol-lowing:—Ante-natal and post-natal treatment, speech and child guidance, foot massage and physiotherapy, immunisation and tuberculosis clinics, and annual health examinations. The dispensary affairs of each centre would be administered by a local committee comprising three doctors, two nurses, or other personnel (all members of the centre), and three laymen appointed by local residents. The report states that the health centre would undertake to provide a 24-hour service. To this end, the doctors and other personnel would be free to arrange a roster scheme whereby they would take turns at duty at night time, week-ends, and holidays. The doctors’ salaries would be paid in three sections: (1) A basic salary, with increases for special qualifications and length of service; (2) a capitation fee, depending on the number of patients on the doctor’s list; (3) fees for special clinics or other work, such as contributions to medical journals and special reports. With the exception of the complete elimination of direct financial considerations, the relationship between doctor and patient would be fundamentally the same as under ordinary private practice, it is claimed. Each doctor could refuse to admit any particular patient to his list. The same privacy and confidence would be maintained, with no interference from other parties. Every patient could withdraw from the scheme without prejudicing his social security rights.