FEDERAL MINISTER ATTACKS DOCTRINE OF FREE MEDICINE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27291, 18 January 1950, Page 5

FEDERAL MINISTER ATTACKS DOCTRINE OF FREE MEDICINE

NZPA—Copyright

Rec. 8.30 p.m. MELBOURNE, Jan. 17. An attack on the doctrine of free medicine was made by the Federal Minister of Health, Sir Earle Page, today in his address to a conference of the British Medical Association, the Pharmaceutical Guild, and friendly societies, to which he explained the general principles of the Menzies Government’s health plans. Sir Earle said that the Labour Government had tried without success to induce the doctors to prescribe free medicine. It was fundamentally wrong to throw the whole responsibility for private medical and hospital services on the Government. Under such conditions there quickly developed the insidious doctrine: “ Everything is on the Government, so why worry? ” and chaos could not long be avoided if nobody worried about costs. The electors rejected the free medicine nostrum and the trap of the welfare State because they meant the centralisation and regimentation of the health services. The Menzies Government’s policy was to provide an incentive for community effort. Those who helped themselves would receive the greatest help. “ So-called free medicine schemes, which, of course, are payable by the taxpayer, cause deterioration in health and the character of medical treatment,” continued Sir Earle. ‘‘We shall work in co-operation with the States and, wherever possible, use their administration and local authorities as agents. Our immediate aim is to restore the autonomy of hospital managements. We shall not stint, but we expert to be partners, not the carriers of the full burden.” The Federal Council of the British Medical Association has drafted a new nations; healtl plan which will be discussed at the conference. The council president Sir Victo Hurley, said

the plan would maintain the nation’s health at the highest possible standard without impugning the individual liberty of the doctors. The plan recommends:— 1. The use of voluntary repayment systems similar to the medical benefits fund of New South Wales, in which families pay a small sum weekly for guaranteed benefits. 2. Extension of the lodge medical benefits system. 3. Care of pensioners and unemployed over long periods, including provision for a general practioner service paid for through the existing State agencies. 4. Free provision of life-saving and disease-preventing drugs. 5. Complete freedom of choice of doctor.

6. Benefits covering general practitioner, specialist, and diagnostic, surgical, physiotherapist, and obstetric services.

The New South Wales medical benefits fund has been in operation for some" years. Membership is available to people under 65 for a weekly payment of from Is a week for minors to 3s a week for adults with dependents. The benefits include payment of 7s 6d per visit for medical consultation or treatment by a general practitioner and £1 Is for the first visit of a specialist, with 10s 6d for subsequent visits, contribution towards surgeons’ fees up to £26 ss, and £5 5s per confinement for obstetrical treatment.