MEDICAL SCHEME

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22063, 9 September 1941, Page 4

MEDICAL SCHEME

Criticism Of B.M.A.

Minister Declines To Comment

WELLINGTON, Sept. 8.

The Minister of Health (Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer) was asked to-day to comment on the doctors’ criticisms of the Social Security Act amendments now before Parliament. He said that at the present stage he preferred to remain silent.

During the present week the amendments will be considered by the Public Health Committee of the House, and it is expected that representatives of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association will submit evidence.

When representatives of this organisation attended stt the invitation of the Government to discuss the proposals with the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. W. Nash) and the Minister of Health, it was made plain that the Government was quite prepared to substitute for the contract system any alternative which the doctors could suggest, so long as It would provide the general practitioner service at which the social security scheme is aiming. There was an Inference from the Ministers’ statemehts that the alternative would be regarded as practicable financially if the gross expenditure did not exceed 15/- a head of the whole population of the area. Clinic Scheme Possible There is the possibility of a clinic scheme being suggested, under which all doctors of a given area will combine their resources, centring their calls on a clinic where arrangements would be made among the associated medical men to maintain continuous general practitioner service and also provide specialist treatment. The amending measure now under consideration does not specifically mention alternatives to the fee for service system, but it contains an important “blanket” clause which would cover any practicable alternative presenting itself.

The previous legislation had contemplated the necessity of making special arrangements for persons living in Isolated places, and this has been further altered tb give very wide authority to the Minister of Health. The clause as it now stands is likely to come into great prominence during the discussions on the legislation. It reads as follows :

“Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this part of the Act, the Minister may make such special arrangements as in the circumstances he deems advisable for the purpose of providing that adequate services in lieu of all or any of the benefits provided for in this Act, will be made available for the benefit of any persons or classes of persons.” „