SOCIAL SECURITY

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 43, 14 November 1940, Page 11

SOCIAL SECURITY

Outpatients Still Have To Pay For Treatment

AUCKLAND CRITICISM

.Dominion Special Service.

AUCKLAND, November 13.

Tile failure of the Government to implement the full social security

benefits was criticized at a meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board. Members made particular reference to the fact that outpatients at the hospital were forced to pay for treatment. The question arose when the report of the hospital executive was under discussion. The report, slated that in addition to a long waiting list at: the hospital. 33 'patients or their relatives ■were telephoning daily to see if beds were available. All the cases were of a semiurgent nature. After memfbew had mentioned the overcrowding at the hospital. Mrs. M. M. Dreaver staled that it was more a matter of attention to outpatients. She SU o,ox?sted’the board' should api>eal to the Government for Ihe completion of the social security scheme, as this was the cause of the trouble. "Negotiations are going on between the Government and the British Medical Association, and if there has been any hitch it is not the fault ol: the doctors,” said Dr. J. P. Hastings. lhe pltfu proposed up to the present does not meet with the approval of the doctors, as it would require them to be on duty for 24 hours a day. The doctors have suggested that the Government should pay lhem for eaca visit and that the doctors can choose their .patients and vice versa." The chairman, Mr. Allan ,1. Moody, said that the board should not embroil itself in an argument with the Government. Mr. E. H. Potter pointed out that under the full Social Security Act theie would be payment for attention to outpatients, and the point was to find out when this part of the Act was to toe introduced. “So many people do not understand the difficulties of the social security scheme,” said Mrs. Dreaver, “but they soon find out when they are ill. Many people give up their beds at the hospital to make way for others, but they soon discover that they have to pay for treatment as outpatients.” “The question is receiving the consideration of the Health Department and the board would be ill-advised to throw a spanner in the works,” stated the chairman. “However, if nothing is done soon the board might take up the matter.”