Huge Demands On British Health Service

Chronicle (Levin), 7 January 1949, Page 5

Huge Demands On British Health Service

LONDON, Jan. 5. Reviewing tlie lirst six months' opera-* tion of Ihe National Health Bervicc, I)r. ( x u y Dain, ehairinau of the ('ouncil of the Britisli Aledical Associatio'n, writing in the Daily Telegraph describes the increase in the demands made upon doctors, denti.sts, oculist.-;, nurses, and hospital stafl's as phenomenal, and says it is already plain that many doctors are being overworked and underpaid. In general. doctors in the heavilypopulated urban areas are makiug more money than hitherto, but only at

the cost of over-work. On tlie other hand, the majority . of rural doctors have fouud their earnings decrease, while the demands • made upon them have very greatlv increased. Activc steps are being taken to correct this before too many country doctors are forced to move into town practices. Dr. Dain criticises what he describes as the " exaggerated hospitality " of the Government in makiug the national health service avaiiable to all visitors to Britain. Alany of these, he claims, are recouping the cost o± their visits by obtaining free spectacles and dentures, and other ussistan.ee, at the expense of the scheme. . Dr. Dain also criticises the tardiness of the Ministrv of Health in settling the seale of fees and other conditions governing the participation of eonsuh tants and specialists in the service, and ihe Government 's delay in setting up the promised rouncil to deal with the questious of terms of service and remuueration for all kinds of medical services. After emphasising the many difficuities to be overcome before the scheme cari be said to be working satisfactorily, Dr. Dain remarks that the present sliortage of doctors will be remedied in time and that the situation with regard to dentists and nurses should also improve as conditions become more attractive. Ile stresses that the British Medical Association has for years been pressing for an improved health service and that it has entered the present service with the fuil intention of makiug it effecti ve and efficient. He reiterates, however, that the experience of the lirst six months has shown that the Government was unwise in ignoring the warnin^s of the medical profession igainst attempting to put the full scheme into operation all at once.