STATE PAYMENT TO PATIENT

Southland Times, Issue 24576, 27 October 1941, Page 6

STATE PAYMENT TO PATIENT

Doctors’ Opinion Of Amended Act By its latest amendments to the Social Security Act, the Government has enabled the continuation of the old relationship between doctor and patient, in the opinion of the council of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association. This was a statement made by Dr J. B. Dawson, president of the Otago branch, in an interview given on his return from the conference. It was the opinion of the council also that, under the amended Act, the doctor retained his inherent rights as an individual in a democratic State with the exception that the right of going to the court was still denied. Until this right was restored the profession could not agree to help in administering the general practitioners section of the Act. Doctors would, notwithstanding this, do everything in their power to assist patients to claim refunds.

“Doctors will continue to practise as usual and charge the fee to the patient,” explained Dr Dawson. “The patient will receive 7/6 or 12/6 back from the Government, according to the time of consultation. The patient will pay the doctor’s bill and then collect his refund.”

The association had passed two resolutions, reading as follows:— (1) That- every member in general practice continues to practise, and to charge fees privately as hitherto, and to furnish the prescribed receipts, certificates, or other documents to enable patients to claim any refund from the Social Security Fund to which the Act entitles them.

(2) That the Minister of Health be informed that the association regrets being unable to accept any position or responsibility, in the administration of the amended Social Security Act 1941, until the civil rights of the medical profession, which have been abolished by this Act, are restored. NO DIRECT PAYMENT “Members of the medical profession will have no • direct payment from the Government,” he pointed out. “Thus we regard the payment as a subsidy to the patient, and not a direct payment to the doctor. As far as the second resolution is concerned, we cannot prevent the Government from subsidizing the patient or giving him 7/6 for week days and 12/6 for night or Sundays, but we do not accept 7/6 in lieu of payment from the Government. We will not, under this resolution, accept any administrative position until the civil rights of the medical profession are restored and we have access to the courts. A question of privilege is involved.” The members of the British Medical Association objected to being deprived of these civil rights, Dr Dawson said. “We feel,” he added, “that we have a certain obligation to resist, because the Government might put other sections of the community in a similar position if we did not.”