NIGHT SERVICE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 122, 26 May 1942, Page 3

NIGHT SERVICE

MEDICAL, ATTENTION

Difficulties which have arisen In connection with the establishment of an emergency night medical service in Auckland were brought before the notice of the Hospital Beard last night in a report from the finance committee, which tabled a copv of a letter, which the B.M.A. in Auckland had received from the Minister of Health, Mr. Nordmever. The Minister that the scheme was "commenced on March 1, and that between that date and March 26, 109 calls had - been answered, all of them by officers of the Hospital Board. It appeared that up to that date, although no emergency call had been answered by a private practitioner, nevertheless fees had been collected from patients, and after deduction of expenses, were presumably handed over to the B.M.A. It was also discovered that the Hospital Board had undertaken the expense of employing an additional medical officer for" the purpose of the night service. If the private practitioners could not operate the night service themselves, the Minister would prefer the board to take the whole responsibility, and do it free of charge, as a supplementary social security benefit.

Commenting on the Minister's views, the president of the B.M.A. (Auckland Division), Mr. A. Eisdell Moore, said the suggestion from the Government that the service was not entitled to money paid by the patient into the night emergency service fund was not accepted.

The board deferred the question for further consideration.