MATERNITY BENEFITS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21403, 21 July 1939, Page 10

MATERNITY BENEFITS

1'.11.M11 i> KLf.l LATTONS i;-. I- . i , \"o<'ia r lou WET T TNCiTON'. July 20 *.< •? " b contained m to-day A an amendment to clause IB of -iit Maternity Benefit.- R«‘gu-Liti-'.r.s oclrriHc Ihr iequip■nimt ‘hat .i patient » x*->1 tn a case of emergency. .should endeavour to refrain from nnurn nine a maternity benefits nudicul pracuticner t visit her during night hours or on holidays. Commenting on the amendment, the Hon P. Fraser said the original provision was iiL>erted for the purpose of protecting medicai practitioners from possible unreasona >ie demands tor tion. Further consideration of the matter, including consultation with doctors engaged in benefits. showed that the possibility of their being unduly harassed was not likely to develop, while on the other hand there was danger that rhe provision might give rise to unnecessary fears on the part of patients who might refrain from calling a doctor when a visit was necessary. Additional maternity benefits regulations. of which notice is given in todays Gazette, have been made in respect of maternity cases who. owing to some actual or suspected abnormal conditions, cannot be effectively cared for in a maternity hospital and have to be admitted or transferred t"> a medical and surgical hospital. The former provisions with respect ti maternity benefits did not permit of the payment of maternity benefits in cases of this kind, and it is to overcome the anomaly that provision is now made enabling the payment of maternity benefits in respect of hospital treatment in these exceptional cases.