HOSPITAL DOCTORS' DISSATISFACTION WITH SALARIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 19, 1 August 1949, Page 5

HOSPITAL DOCTORS' DISSATISFACTION WITH SALARIES

Dissatisfaction over salary scales and hospital administration policy has been the reason for the recent or pending resignations of leading hospital officers and specialists in various parts of the Dominion. Latest resignations announced are those of the Dirctor of the Hospitals Division of the Health Department, Dr L. McNickle, who has been appointed medical superintendent of the New Plymouth Hospital, and the acting superintendent of the Timaru Hospital, Dr.W. St. John Brooks.

Both of these resignations are stated to be linked with the general dissatisfaction among administrative officers in the hospital service. Meanwhile a salaries advisory committee is hearing the claims of several groups, including representations from the British Medical Association, for substantial salary increases. The present scale, brought down in March, is considered by the medical profession inadequate, particularly in view of the rates now offering in Britain. Increases Sought

The increases sought vary from £3OO to £IOOO a year. The scale for senior specialists under an amendment to the Hospital Employment Regulations 1948, dated March 9 last, ranges from £I4OO a year to a maximum of £I7OO, with a maximum of £2OOO for principal specialists in the four main centres.

The proposed United Kingdom scale as published by the British Government in March last allows for payment to specialists, appointed at the age of 32, rising from £I7OO a year to £2750. The British proposals also allow for up to 20 per cent of specialists to receive up to £4250, and 4 per cent up to £5250.

New Zealand doctors maintain that the New Zealand scale, which was determined after consultation among Cabinet Ministers concerned, is too low to attract and hold men of adequate standing in important administrative and specialist posts. - Particularly is this considered so now that positions at much higher rates are available in Britain.

In the proposals being made to the ’advisory committee by various groups the Hospital Boards’ Association has taken a close interest.

Main Argument Principal argument advanc :d within the medical profession is that there is no incentive offered to men of outstanding ability, because of the ceiling placed on salaries at a comparatively low level. It is claimed that the senior specialists’ rate should range from £I7OO to £2750.

For medical superintendents, whose rates vary according to the size of the hospitals administered, it is claimed that the scale should be graduated from £I6OO for the small hospitals covered by the regulations to £2500 for the Auckland and Wellington superintendents, rising to a maximum of £2750. Present rates for medical, superintendents vary from £1250 to a maximum of £2250. The claims include free housing, fuel and lighting, the value of which is at present taken imp account in computation of the actual salary payable.