FREE HOSPITAL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 97, 28 August 1942, Page 6

FREE HOSPITAL

TREATMENT OF PENSIONERS

Pensioners admitted to hosjMtal should be entitled to free treatment, the same as other members of the community, members of the Taranalu Hospital Board agreed at a meeting at New Plymouth recently.

Free hospital treatment, though supposed to be universal, apparently uid P°t PPPIy to pensioners, said Mr S. yickers, who considered that the board should slipport the: YVaikato Hospital Board in its representations to the Government. The Waikato Board had stated that, in spite of a denial by the Minister of Interp/ai Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Pnrry, persons entitled to old age and invalidity benefits who spent a month in hospital had £5 deducted from their benefits, leaving only £1 /l(!s (id lot themselves. Where homes had to be maintained, that Avas a serious hardship. The ruling that no person could be in receipt, of two benefits at the one time, unless Avitli tlie approval of the Minister, was responsible for the reduction, said Mr Stainton. Hospital Boards, it was stated, did not benefit from the £3 deduction, which went to the Social Security Department. On the suggestion of the chairman, Mr P. S. Stainton, it was agreed that the social welfare officer should interview all pensioner patients admitted to the hospital and ascertain if the deduction woxdd be a hardship. If so. application could be made for relief under the hardship clause. Although it would not remove the anomaly, such a .step would temporarily meet the position it was agreed.