AFTER TREATMENT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 150, 3 September 1941, Page 5

AFTER TREATMENT

PROVISION FOR SOLDIERS AND NURSES

STATE PROVISIONS

The Counties' Association together with the Municipal Association has for some time been engaged in making representations to the Government regarding hospital finance and with the framing of provisions for the after treatment of-soldiers and nurses has been frequently in communication with the 1 Minister. The following reply Was recently been received by the Associations and circularised to local bodies:— I am duly in receipt of your letter of the 23rd April intimating that at ; a meeting of the combined Emergency Committees of the Municipal and Counties' Associations held rm the 18th April lasit, the matter of nfter-'treatmen.t of soldiers and nurses was fully discussed, and that the opinion expressed that additional' payment should be made to H6s-» pital Boards representing the differ-, ence between the actual cost of maintenance and the Social Security allowance of 6s a day. I have discussed the matter with the Hon. Minister of Health, and find the position to be as follows: — The returns submitted by Hospital Boards show that the average maintenance cost per patient in general hospitals .for 1939-40 was 15s. a day, the cost? at tht? various hospitals ranging from lis to 18s> a day. Under the present arrangement where the cost is 18s the amount is found is follows: Social Security Fund 6s, War Expenses Account ss, Consolidated Fund 3s 6d, Local Body Con tributions 3s 6d. Total 18s. The payment of lis a day for each patient, including the benefit, which was deeided on by the Government is in the majority of instances less than the actual cost of treatment In which cases the balance of the cost is met by the Hospital Board concerned frona. its own funds which are contributed by levy on the contributory local authorities; and subsidy from Consolidated Fund. Aa against this, however, it must not foe overlooked that the Boards are obtaining some relief in not being: required to meet the usual proportion of the costs of treating those persons who, but for serving in the Armed Forces, may have entered lios pital as civilians from theij; own district under normal conditions. It is considered that having regard ,t'o nil the circumstances, the payment of lis a day is a reasonable one, and t regret that I, cannot see my way to recommend any increase. In regard to the opinion expressed by your member that no soldier should be discharged while suffering from an}' disability, I have to inform you that the procedure approved by the Government in regard to this aspect of the hospitalisation of the sick and wounded soldier is as f'ol lows: —■ 1. The soldier medically boarded and-found to be temporarily unfit for a period of lessi than three months is retained on Army pay, continues to receive any further necessary medical treatment, and is re examined every 28 days by a Medical Board to determine his condition md purpose. This applies to all soldiers whether they are 2nd N.Z.E.F, personnel returned from overseas, 2nd N.Z.E.F. personnel ex mobilisa tion, or Territorials.

2. The soldier found to be permanently unfit for further service or temporarily unfit for three months or more is disposed of as fol tows:-—(a) In the case of the soldieT returned invalided from overseas. (1) Tlie soldier medically boarded and found unfit for further service overseas but requiring in-patient treatment in a public hospital or convalescent institution is retained on pay and allowances for a period of 28 days. During this period the in-patient's case is taken in hand by th« Secretary for War Pensions, and arrangements have been made whereby immediately his pay and ances cease the soldier becomes a charge on the War Pensions Department to the extent of a 100 per eenf war pension for three months at least. In addition, an economic, pension and pensions to wife and children may be granted.

(2) If for any reason the War Pensions Board is unable to classify the soldier as pensionable within 28 clays. Army pay and allowances will be continued pending the decisiorof the War Pensions Board. (b) In the case of the soldier (either 2nd N.Z.E.F. ex mobilisation camp or Territorial) who has; server l only within New Zealand. The provisions outlined in paragraph 2 (a) above apply except tha f : (1) He is retained on pay and allow-

'Continued in next column).

ances for a period of 14 clays. (2y He is entitled to all the benefits of war and economic- pensions for himself and his dependents if his disability is found by Medical Board to be attributable- to or aggravated by his Military service. (3) If hisdisability is found by Medical Board' to be not attributable to or aggravated by his Military service,, he becomes- a charge tjpon the Social Security Department and not the War* Pensions Department, and conse-* quently becomes entitled to sickness or invalids' benefit according to the nature of his disability. In all cases when the soldier's. Army pay ccases and he remains an in-patient of a hospital the contribution of 5s a day to the Hospiitali Board ceases.