MATERNITY SERVICE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 5, 1 May 1939, Page 6

MATERNITY SERVICE

SOCIAL SECURITY ACT REGULATIONS FOR DOCTORS < I Medical practitioners in the Ray oi' Plenty have received by mail terms of contract in relation to the mater. . nitv benefits under the Social Secur- , itv Act, and forms to be filled in by ( those desiring to undertake the ser. vices under the scheme. , Doctors approached declined to j comment on the regulations under the contract, most of them stating that they required more time to con. , sider them. Under the regulations the fee paid ( out of the Social Security Fund in , any case in which all proper and ne- ( eessary services during confinement and during the ante.natal and post. , natal period are given wholly by one ( medical practitioner will be £5. In any case in which such services are not wholly given by one medical practitioner the fee to any one practitioner shall be such amount as may be claimed in respect of the services actually given by him and as the Medical Officer of Health considers reasonable in the circumstances, provided that in respect of any patient the total amount payable from the Social Security Fund docs not exceed £5. Mileage fees will be paid to doc-* tors under certain circumstances. PAYMENT FOR ASSISTANCE One class under the list of professional obligations has, it is under. - stood, been the subject of consider, able discussion among doctors and at - meetings of the B.M.A. division. It states that when any medical . titioner who has entered into a contract of service engages the services of .any oth<}r medical prfactitibner as a consultant, anaesthetist or medi < cal assistant no payment shall be made out of the social security luivl in respect of the services of the lastmentioned practitioner, whether or ! not that practitioner has entered into a contract of service for the purposes of the Act. Before any medical practitioner affords to a patient who is entitled to medical services in relation to maternity benefits any treatment which is outside the scope of his obligations under the contract a nd for which lie proposes to demand or accept a fee. he shall inform the patient that she is not entitled to such treatment as part of the maternity benefits and obtain the patient's concurrence in his giving the treatment.. Where any such treatment is given the doctor must, within seven days of his demanding or accepting n. fee, notify the medical officer of health. The provisions of that clause wiil apply with the necessary modifications in any case where, in the course of providing maternity benefits, a doctor engages the services of any other medical practitioner as a consultant, anaesthetist, or assistant An accompanying note with the regulations informs doctors that it is proposed to publish on May TO lists of medical practitioners, private maternity hospitals, midwives, and maternity nurses who will be affording maternity benefits under the scheme.