HOSPITAL WILL ASK FOR PAYMENT OF FEES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 72, 25 March 1931, Page 8

HOSPITAL WILL ASK FOR PAYMENT OF FEES.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS CAUSE MUCH WORRY.

A further effort is to be made by the North Canterbury Hospital Board to obtain legislative authority for the payment for the treatment of road accident cases, which, according to one speaker, were increasing alarmingly. Dr P. Stanley Foster raised the question. He said that the Medical Superintendent’s last annual report showed that about 200 cases, arising out of motor-cycle and motor-car accidents, were dealt with last year. To date this year (ending on March 31) there had been 169 such cases. The wards were constantly being filled with these • patients. The board had either to put a limit on the number of cases or else collect more fees for them. He quoted the new Road Traffic Act of Great Britain which made definite provision for the payment of hospital fees for such accident cases. There was no such provision in the X’ew Zealand Act and the board should make every possible endeavour to get adequate payment. These patients were a source of grave concern to the Medical Superintendent and staff. Many of them were sent to hospital when they could be quite well treated in their own homes. The chairman (Mr 11. J. Otlev) said that the matter had been previously brought before members of Parliament and the Minister. The board claimed that it had the first right to claim on single men for payment for accident treatment, but the Government had failed to agree to the proposal. Tie would take the matter up with the executive of the Hospital Boards’ Association. Mr A. T. Smith asked if the board got hospital fees when they were awarded by a Court. The chairman: We try to. Mr Smith said that these fees should go to the hospital. The chairman said that they had never got very far forward with the proposal that the money should be awarded by the Court direct to the hospital. He could only carry on the agitation in the matter and try and get the law altered. The matter was left in the chairman’s hands.