INDIGENT SICK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19099, 21 August 1936, Page 4

INDIGENT SICK

TREATMENT AT HOME GISBORNE SCHEME REGULATIONS ADOPTED ONES UN PRACTITIONERS Regulations covering tlip domiciliary treatment of the indigent sick of Gishorne were approved ny the Cook Hospital Hoard at its monthly meeting yesterday afternoon, when a special committee previously appointed to draw np the regulations submitted its report. General agreement was expressed as to the value of the experiment, which is to 1,0 made over a period of 12 months, and is designed to encourage sick people without means to place themselves under the care of doctors before their ailments proceed to advanced stages. One of the provisions submitted by the committee was that in urgent cases the medical practitioner approached should decide whether the ease was one coming under the regulations, and a. question on this point was raised by Mr. .1. Tomblohon. who asked why the hoard should employ an officer especially to deal with indigent persons and their needs, and yet have to rail on, the doctors of the town to decide in such cases whether a person was indigent or otherwise.

In reply to this question, Ur. 11. (doubling' Rice, sponsor of the experiment. pointed out that there would Incases in which urgency seemed to be indicated, and that in such cases treatment would he the first consideration, not the establishment of the indigence or otherwise of tin* patient applying to the doctor. It would he impracticable to insist that all cases should he referred first to the hoard’s welfare ofiicer. hut on the .ther hand all cases would have to pass under his review either before treatment for the first time, or immediately afterwards.

The report of the committee indicated that all the medical practitioners in the town had agreed to enter into (lie experiment. and that the medical superintendent. 1),-. R. J. R. Hall, had been instructed to draw up a list of stock mixtures to be used by medical men in prescribing, for submission to the Chemists’ Association. On tin’s point, the board received a letter from the Chemists’ Association, quoting a price per eight-ounce 1-ottle of stock mixture, this communication being treated ns confidential on the -uggestion of Mrs. A. E. Beer, who considered tiie chemists would not wish to have the details of the offer made public.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The regulations governing the scheme, put before the board by the committee and adopted, were as under: “The Cook Hospital Board will operate through its social welfare department an outdoor medical service on the following terms and conditions, viz :

“(1) The hoard will pay all general medical practitioners in the Borough oi Gisborne for attendance —other than obstetric or severe surgical cases—on indigent persons, 7s 6d for the first visit and 5s for subsequent A’isits between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and 12s 6d per visit between the no ill's, of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. “(2) Payment Avill be made subject to the following, conditions:

“(a) That application has been made to the social welfare officer or the secretary’s office for medical attention, and an authority has been issued by the social Avelfare officer, either directly or through the applicant, to the medical man to attend the patient.

“(b) That in cases Avhere application has not been made to the relief officer, the patient is, in the opinion of the practitioner to whom the application is made, an indigent person. In order to determine the indigence of the patient or family, the medical man should make reasonable inquiry and should ask for and inspect the employment registration card, where such is available. It should he understood that this medical service is not available to members of friendly societies. “(e) That Avithin 12 hours of attending the case, and except in cases of absolute urgency, before a second visit is made, the case be reported to the relief officer of the board in the manner provided. “(d) That all information required by the prescribed form is furnished. Practitioners are requested to supply as full details as possible. “(e) That no further payment for services beyond the first visit shall be made, except upon the production of a written order signed by the relief officer and given to the practitioner i attending the case either directly or through the patient save in cases ol night calls between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Avhere in the opinion of the practitioner a. morning call is considered necessary. “(f) That such orders may be for definite periods and any order may be terminated at, the discretion of the

board 1 or the relief officer. “(3) The hoard reserves to itself the right to appoint a medical referee or referees at its discretion.

“(4) Prescriptions must be given upon the prescribed form, supplies of which may be had upon application to the social vrelfare officer. “(6) The board undertakes to make knoAvn the operation of the outdoor medical service by all reasonable means. “(6) Accounts to be rendered monthly.’’