HOSPITAL RATING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 72, Issue 6240, 10 June 1946, Page 5

HOSPITAL RATING

VIEWS OF LADY M.L.C. “HOSPITAL BOARDS HEAVILY SUBSIDISED” Speaking in the South Island last week, the Hon. Mary Dreaver, M.L.C., dealt with Social Security and rating, a subject that is a very live issue at the present time. Mrs Dreaver said she agreed with many findings of the local government committee, but not with this particular one (that more of hospital costs should be met from the Consolidated Fund and less from rating). Before the Labour Party came into power and social security came into hospitals, boards received 3s a bed a day, and to-day they were getting Ils a day. If the finding was put into effect it would put the burden back on the cities and there would not be equitable distribution of the burden. To-day hospital boards were heavily subsidised by the Government. People in the country were benefiting greatly, not only l through medical and nursing services but also in maternity benefits. Before Labour came into power doctors went into hospitals on a voluntary basis, said Mrs Dreaver. New Zealand had a fine medical service, but none of those men would get very far if they had not been allowed to work in the hospitals, where they received their post-graduate experience. When social security came in the doctors put their heads together and went to the Hospital Boards’ Association. The majority of the members were not Labour members, which was the fault of the people who did not bother to go out and vote. The members were quite worthy people, but they had different ideals from those of the Labour members. The medical men said they had been giving service and, now that social security had come in, asked why should they not receive a return. That was quite justified as far as the Labour policy was concerned, because Labour believed in a return for service. But the doctors had not given their services for nothing, but in return for the experience they had received. What hope had a young surgeon of progressing if he never got into a hospital? That was something which would have to be watched. Young doctors coming home from overseas had to be given a chance and helped in this direction. Some of the older men would have to make way. The doctors went to the Hospital Board’s Association and eventually the association agreed to give salaries of £5OO, £3OO, and £2OO a year. The Auckland Hospital had 70 of these men. That money was coming out of social security funds. People who were pushing the suggested alteration in hospital rating, in her opinion, did not know a very great deal about hospital administration. It would be fine training for all members of Parliament if they had a little experience of local body work. People said that there should be a single tax, and this and that. It could not be done like that. Already people were taxed according to the Government’s method, which in her opinion was good, under social security. Those who wanted to lessen their burdens, which were not heavy now, had a right to carry some of the burdens of the big cities, where the majority of the people lived.