"LONG OVERDUE"

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20466, 5 April 1938, Page 8

"LONG OVERDUE"

SOCIAL PROPOSALS GOVERNMENT COMMENDED COMMENT BY MR. J. J. RYBURN "I feel that the Government is to be commended for bringing forward the 'social security' proposals. Such a scheme is long overdue, having been promised to the people a number of years ago and it is to the credit of the present administration that they have decided to place such proposals before a representative Parliamentary committee,” stated Mr. J. J. Ryburn, chairman of the Waikato Hospital Board, to a representative of the Waikato Times to-day. He was sure, continued Mr. Ryburn, that the special committee, assisted by the hospital boards and with the goodwill of the medical and nursing professions, would do all in its power to formulate a scheme which would successfully meet all circumstances. Commenting on the provisions made in the preliminary proposals for in- ! validity pensions, he considered that j the improvements envisaged were j most, humane. Prior to the institution of the invalidity pension by the present, Government, such cases had | been treated by the boards as indigent I cases 'and even the initial assistance I had left some of the recipients in diffii cult circumstances. Problem of Accommodation The Government had, however, indicated that they aimed at the provision of hospital treatment for all classes, and he regarded that as rather a big order, and one requiring the most careful consideration. "We can definitely state that as far i as our accommodation is concerned it I has always been well-taxed,” said Mr. Ryburn, “and if the service were extended accommodation would be completely over-taxed, unless progressively more institutional accommodation were provided.” It appeared that the best means to guard against such over-crowding would lie in the encouragement of preventative measures, such as the district and Maori nursing services. Mr. Ryburn considered that the Government should pay increasing attention to such nursing services and to the matter of health education generally, w’hich he regarded as a matter of national importance. Regarding the financial aspects of the scheme, he thought that the sum of over £14.000.000 anticipated from taxation and subsidy was rather a large amount for a country of one and a-half million people, and care would have to be taken that whatever sum was voted to the proposals would be such as the country could be committed to under other than the present favourable circumstances. Local Body Levies It was not anticipated that levies on local bodies would be wiped out immediately, but it appeared that ratepayers should ultimately benefit, since if the boards received increased amounts in fees and were required to pay out less in charitable aid, the need for levies should progressively diminish. “I trust, however," he added, "that the scheme will lead to the ultimate - wiping out of these levies, -for I w r ould 1 rather see a tax on wages and income than one on capital values.” DEFINITE RETROGRESSION i 1 STANDARD OF MEDICAL PRACTICE j SCHEME VERY DISAPPOINTING : That under the proposed Government health scheme the people would have to prepare themselves for a definite retrogression from the present high standard of medical practice was the view expressed by Dr. F. A. Lamb, of Hamilton, president of the South Auckland division of the British Medical Association, In an interview. He stated that the profession generally believed that an infinitely better result to the community would be a scheme complete in every service for the lower paid members of the community rather than an indifferent and quickly deteriorating service applying to everyone. Dr. Lamb considered that the views expressed would constitute those of the majority of the members in the division. While the profession realised that a small percentage of the people were in need of more complete i medical facilities, the new social seri vice scheme as outlined by the Prime Minister was definitely disappointing. "High Standard of Work” “The quality of the work of the general medical practitioner in this country has been officially recognised as being of an exceptionally high standard, many of the procedures now carried out efficiently in every-day practice being of such a nature as is performed in other countries solely by specialists,” said Dr. Lamb. “Such procedures as operations and setting of fractures will be, by nature of the proposed scheme, excluded, and will still be an extra charge upon the patient, the scheme as expounded merely providing for the more elementary forms of treatment. This will inevitably lead to an inferior type of medical service, as the medical i practitioner will lose all incentive and j all opportunity for advancing his general knowledge in medicine and surgery. Consequently there will be a rapid increase in hospitalisation of the community and the present hospitals, already overcrowded, will be compelled 1 to double their accommodation at ' great expense to the country.” | As the people had been" given to | understand, there was no intention of altering the present method of sus- ! laining the hospitals and local ratepayers would still be called upon to ! find their share of hospital expenditure, which would increase enor- ■ mouslv. To carry out the proposals \ an army of civil servants would be | required with a further drain on the , resources of the producer. Mileage Problem I “The mileage problem as it applies fn the Waikato „r.. 1 cthr.r c:;:::ilry .;; 4 _ ‘ tricts will increase Hie cost o*r the scheme more Ilian most people realj ise,” said Dr. Lamb, “and it should I be noted that as mileage is allowed the 1 patient only to the nearest doctor, the choice of practitioner must of necessity in many places be strictly limited. .1 believe that a large proportion of the population are perfectly satisfied with

the services they now receive at a cheaper rate than they will be called upon to pay under these proposals. different policy MEDICAL PROFESSION SUGGESTIONS IGNORED (Special to Times) WELLINGTON. Monday “The proposals of the national health insurance scheme put before the public by the Prime Minister, Mr Savage, are remarkably at variance with the suggestions offered by the medical profession at the request of the Government, both to its appointed investigation committee and to members of the Cabinet,” said the president of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, Dr. P. S. Jamieson, of Nelson, to-night. Dr. Jamieson is also chairman of the national health insurance committee of the association. “The profession,” Dr. Jamieson continued, “has consistently advocated that whatever measures were undertaken should be directed toward assisting the people to meet their needs in regard to medical service where these needs press most heavily. The Prime Minister’s proposal of a free general practitioners’ service, however, provides the one item of medical service to which the people now have the most ready access. It omits the very things —in particular laboratory and specialists’ services—which are more difficult to obtain and are essential for the accuracy of diagnosis necessary for the efficiency of the general practitioners’ services. ‘ The principle of offering assistance to those who cannot provide fully for themselves has been adopted in the proposal relating lo the pensions scheme, and it is difficult to see why the same principle has been departed from in the proposal for national health insurance. It would appear that in this respect the Government's proposals are based on an enthusiasm for a politicosocial ideal rather than on the real health requirements of the people of this country.” OPPOSITION VIEWPOINT UNDESIRABLE MEANS TEST (Special to 'rimes.) NO ATE A. Monday Commenting on the health ajid superannuation proposals at Xgatea this evening, the Rt. lion. J. G. Coates, M.P. for Kaipara, said they were purely a Government scheme, and tie deplored the introduction of a means

test in deciding whether members of the community who contributed to the fund should be allowed to draw the pensions to which they were entitled on reaching the retiring age. Mr. Coates stated that if he were a member of the select committee about to consider the plan he would feel inclined to tell the Government that it had its scheme and he was not going to help with it. The idea had been that the committee would examine the position and find a scheme that would be equitable and practicable. The proposals of the Government, however, required a tremendous amount, of consideration because the value of the pound might well be reduced to a point where beneficiaries would not receive very much satisfaction. TWO CONTRIBUTIONS? CIVIL SERVANTS’ FEAR (Special to Times.) AUCKLAND, Tuesday Government servants pay a minimum of 5 j>er cent on wages toward superannuation, fr being stated that 90 per cent of those employed in Auckland are subject to the minimum rate. While officials of organisations were reluctant to comment on the Govrenment's proposals at present, members made no secret of the fact that they were apprehensive at the probability of having to contribute topension schemes, only one of which they uould enjoy.