DETAILS STILL AWAITED

Southland Times, Issue 23848, 20 June 1939, Page 8

DETAILS STILL AWAITED

HOSPITAL BOARDS’ POSITION PROMPT ANNOUNCEMENT WANTED (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, June 19. With less than a fortnight to pass before the free hospital benefits become available under the Social Security Act, hospital boards are still awaiting details of the scheme which they are to operate. The position was described as chaotic, and it was considered that it the system is to be drastically changed by July 1, it is essential that specific details of the proposals should be the subject of an immediate announcem jt lias been stated that hospital boards are to receive 6/- a day for each inpatient, and, in the somewhat unlikely event of costs being maintained at the present level, this would represent a gain in the case of the Auckland institution. Taking all the in-patients into account, between 5/3 and 5/6 a day is now actually collected, this figure including patients from other hospital districts and compensation cases, both of which are paid in full. The fees incurred by patients in these two categories will remain on the same basis as in the Charitable Institutions Act, and, as there has been no suggestion of the legislation being amended, it is assumed that it is intended to continue the State’s contribution on the same basis. If costs could be maintained at the present level, it is thought that the introduction of the scheme would not serve to increase the portion of the hospital finance borne by the ratepayers. However, it has been indicated that some form of payment should be made for the services at present undertaken by the honorary staffs, and this, coupled with the extension of hospital activities to meet the new conditions, would advance the expenditure. Although for some months past patients have been noticeably loath to pay fees in full because of the pending social security legislation, the Auckland hospital authorities have received no phenomenal number- of bookings for admission after July 1. LIMITED ACCOMMODATION It was pointed out by the chairman, Mr Allan J. Moody, that in any case limited accommodation was available at the institution, and it could not cope with, a sudden influx of patients. One point in the Minister’s announcement that has caused some concern is the fact that for the time being outpatients do not come within the scope of the free treatment plan. It is believed that this phase of the scheme cannot efficiently be undertaken until’ the introduction of a free general practitioner service. In the intervening period, persons who would normally be regarded aS out-patients may demand admission to the hospital in order to obtain free service. It is a possibility that has not been overlooked by the hospital authorities, and Mr Moody said that with the already over-crowded condition of the main institution, careful examination of the applications for admission would be necessary. In his statement on Saturday the Minister of Health (the Hon. P. Fraser) referred to the proposal that, in the case of private hospitals .and approved institutions, payment from the fund is to be applied in partial satisfaction of the charges ordinarily payable, similarly to maternity hospitals. Private medical and surgical institutions may accept contracts to provide services under the scheme. So far, hoWever, there has been no official move to issue contracts in Auckland.