MAY BEGIN ON JULY 1

Southland Times, Issue 23838, 8 June 1939, Page 5

MAY BEGIN ON JULY 1

Hospital Benefits MEDICAL STAFFS' REACTIONS Basis Of Remuneration (United Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, June 7. It is the hope of the Minister of Health (the Hon. P. Fraser) that the hospital benefits under the Social Security Act will operate from July 1, according to advice received at New Plymouth. Several points have yet to be decided by the Minister before the drafting of the regulations, it is understood, but it is expected that they will be ready late in June. The reactions of visiting medical staffs towards the scheme have been reviewed by most of the hospital boards concerned. Generally, the position is that the visiting staffs will carry on when the hospital benefit is introduced, pending satisfactory arrangements being made about a uniform basis of remuneration. The executive of the Hospital Boards Association is to discuss the matter with the British Medical Association towards the end of this month, or in July.. Pending the outcome of', that conference, it is stated that negotiations with the honorary staff at the Wellington Hospital are in abeyance. The Dunedin Hospital is in a similar position. At Auckland, the visiting staff, which has the question of remuneration under consideration, is said to be prepared to carry on as at present, but is not willing to name a figure for remuneration until the whole question of medical service under the Act is settled with the Government.