HOSPITAL TREATMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1930, Page 11

HOSPITAL TREATMENT

“NO CLASS DISTINCTIONS.” * ASSURANCE BY MINISTER. The introduction of class distinctions and differentiation in the treatment of patients admitted to public hospitals was strongly opposed by a deputation from the Wellington Trades and Labour Council, representing also the Alliance of Labour, which waited on the Minister of Health, Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, at Wellington on Thursday. Both the Minister and the Director-General of Health, Dr. T, H. A. Valintine, gave an assurance that there was no such intention.

Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., stressed the view that there should not be the slightest differentiation in the treatment of patients in the public hospitals. The idea seemed to exist that people who could pay more than the minimum charge should be able to get better treatment, but tho deputation considered that the public institutions should confer equally and without partiality the benefit of curative treatment on all patients. They asked for an assurance that differentiation of treatment should, not be extended to the public hospitals. While giving full credit to the value of the work done by the medical .profession, Mr. Fraser said the deputation strongly objected to the propaganda carried on for years by the British Medical Association for the establishment of separate private paying wards in public hospitals. Such a system, he contended, was most vicious, and likely to lead to all sorts of complications as well as involving tho public in extra expense. Institutions which were essentially community concerns should not bo utilised in any way for the benefit of private practitioners. The late Minister of Health, said Mr. Fraser, stood firmly against anything in the nature of distinctions being brought into tho hospitals and he thought the present Parliament took up the same attitude. Dr. Valintine said that because of the alarming increase in the cost of hospital maintenance he had proposed that certain wards be set apart for special paying patients in the same way as distinction was made between railway compartments, Personally he had never advocated any distinction in social standing. Mr. R. Semple,.M.P.: We don’t say it is your intention, but that it will follow. “Not while I am alive,” Dr. Valintine declared emphatically, “nor while my successor, Dr. Watt, is in charge. We are not going to have any class distinctions in our hospitals. We are both decided on that, nor will we allow the medic 11 profession to boss the hospitals. I assure you a very different tone has come over the medical profession in recent years. They will have to be watched, mind you, but nt present you need have no fears as long as I or Dr. Watt or the Minister are here. The Minister is watching it just as closely as you arc. Do not think we are going to lose sight of the great principle involved in the Act of 1908.” The Minister said he would appreciate the protest of the deputation if the minimum hospitals fee did not cover all the. essentials of the best medical treatment given to other inmates who might be paying much more in fees. Mr. Stallworthy justified differentiation in a special hospital such as that at Hamner, and said that without such a system the institution would show a large loss financially. Mr. Fraser: The system is vicious. It is giving treatment according to money instead of necessity.. ; j Minister: J would agree'-if; 1 '... •... .

minimum fee did not include essential service. If the present system was abolished, he said, they would have to consider raising the minimum fee. In regard to private wards generally he continued: “It is my firm conviction that the hospital is tho last place on earth where class distinction should be thought of. I will never consent to any differentiation of treatment in the public, hospitals of the Dominion. With the general basis of your arguments to-day I am .in absolute agreement. Jt is quite repugnant to the department that in the public hospital system any class distinction or differentiation of treatment should be allowed in any circumstances either on the medical or the lay side.”