MEDICAL SERVICE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19099, 21 August 1936, Page 9

MEDICAL SERVICE

P W.D. CAMP WORKERS UNDER SCALE PAYMENTS PROTECTION OF BOARDS In accordance Avith an undertaking given by the chairman, Mr. M. T. Tral-foi-d, at a recent, conference held in Wairoa on the subject of medical services for men in the Public Works Department’s' camps, the Cook Hospital Board yesterday afternoon agreed to extend services to members of the Public Works Employees’ Medical Association at fees beloAV the regular scale in return for a guarantee of payment through the medium of the association. The general lines of the agreement are similar to those of the friendly societies’ agreement Avith the board, except that the Public Works Employees’ Association guarantees payment of fees actually incurred, whereas in the case of the ‘ friendly societies each member is levied for hospital treatment, and the board has a steady income from this source. A COMPLICATING FACTOR The situation regarding the treatment of the Public Works Department’s- employees in the district- is not Avilhout its' complications, as Avas shown by the receipt- of a letter from tlio Wharerata Medical Association, a separate body, which advised the board that it rejected the proposed agreement outlined in Wairoa on the grounds, that- overhead costs would eat up the greater part of the income of (lie major association, and. that moreover the benefits of medical service should he made available more cheaply than Avas proposed. On this point, members of the board supported the chairman in his assertion that the terms granted to the major body should be accepted by all Avho desired to benefit by the agreement. Mr. Trafford commented that the Wharerata association could not expect belter treatment than the other organisation. USE OF AMBULANCE

One- point in the proposed agreement with the major association to Avhich exception Avas taken by members of the board was the provision for the ambulance being available Avlien requisitioned at a cost of 10s per trip. In reply to a question, Mr. Trafford said that the furthest distance the board’s ambulance would travel under the agreement was 40 miles, but other members held that the conveyance Avould involve the hoard in heavy loss- on the basis stipulated. Even though the majority of cases Avould be well within the 40-mile limit, the nearest of the main camps Avas 15 miles from Gisborne, and the ambulance Avould have to undertake journeys of 30 miles over-all to bring cases to toAvn from this camp. On the motion of the chairman, a committee comprising the mover, Dr. 11. Goulding Rice, and Messrs. 11. Adair and C. G. Bayliss was appointed to take up discussion on the details of the agreement. The committee Avas empoAvered to meet the Wharerata Medical Association’s. officers, and also those appointed by workers on the Tarndale road job, Wharerata, to negotiate for agreements oil the basis of that approved by the recent Wairoa conference. These terms Avere reported to the board as under:— TERMS OF AGREEMENT “That tiie boards grant- to the members of the association and their dependents the following:—(a) Inpatient treatment, including operations and X-rays at the board’s hospitals; (b) cases sent by the medical superintendent to other hospitals for special treatment; (c) X-ray examinations of outpatients; (d) continuation of treatment of ex-patients as outpatients only when directed by the medical superintendent at the hospitals between stipulated hours; (e) services of the district nurse if required by the association, Avhere conditions are suitable. DEPENDANTS AND CHARGES “Dependants are defined as members’ wives and their children, under 16 years of age in the case of females-, and 15 years of age in the case of males. Single members Avho have relatives Avholly dependent upon them are to be included. “The association is to pay the boards the following rates :—(a) The sum of 6s for adults and 3s for children, as defined in clause 2, per day’s stay in the hospital or any other institution a patientmay be ordered by the medical superintendent ; (b) X-ray fee of £1 Is for outpatients; (c) outpatients’ fees of 2s 6d per visit and Is 3d for each subsequent visit; (d) district nurse’s fees at schedule rates, less 25 per cent discount, travelling expenses to be paid by the association at the rate of 6d per mile each way; (e) maternity cases Avhere board’s facilities are availed of £4 4s. or such sum as is received from National Provident Fund ; (f) where requisitioned, a flat, rate of 10s, irrespective of distance, be made for the ambulance. LISTS OF MEMBERS

“The association to supply the boards with a list of all members and to keep it fully revised. All persons applying for treatment must present a chit or book from the secretary of a sub-secre-tary of the association, certifying that they are financial members of the dependants of financial members. “Accounts for fees are to be forwarded to the association monthly, not later than the twentieth. If the fees are not paid before the thirtieth, the agreement automatically will be terminated. “Dependants of workers contributing under this agreement, who are resident in any other hospital district and who incur hospital fees in that district, shall be a charge against the association and the hospital board of this district shall be exempt from payment of such charges, under section 92 of the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act. “That persons who are entitled to compensation under the Third-Party Risk Act or any subsequent Act making damages payable to hospital boards direct, he expressly excluded from this agreement, as far as hospital fees are concerned, such fees being the responsibility of the insurance company concerned.”