HEALTH SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1937, Page 12

HEALTH SCHEME

THE PANEL SYSTEM DISCUSSED BY DOCTORS (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 25. " There is a keen discussion among doctors over "the proposal that under the Government's intended health insurance scheme all general medical practitioners should be brought under some such panel system as exists in Great Britain. No official statement is being made either in Government quarters or by representatives of the medical profession, but it is admitted on both sides that the panel system is included as an integral feature in the proposals being considered for the general health scheme. City medical men discussed the panel system at a meeting held last week, when they were addressed on the health scheme generally by the president of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, Dr. T. D. M. Stout, Wellington. It Is stated authoritatively that the panel system suggested for inclusion in the national health scheme will involve allotting all recognised practitioners a maximum number of patients each, ranging, according to the present proposals, between 2000 and 3000. Subscribers to the general scheme, which will be universal if the present wishes of the Government are carried out, will pay an annual contribution for this service, ranging from £1 annually, the present suggested minimum, to a higher subscription, according to income. It is intended under this scheme that subscribers will be given the opportunity at the outset to nominate their choice of doctor, but that where a doctor receives more than the average of allocation there will have to be a turnover to another doctor. This scheme would ensure medical men a maximum income of at least £2000, the actual figure being the num. r" patients allocated to each doctor. It/ is stated that in discussions hel-a by medical men in Christchurch, the figure has been placed as high as £3000. City population figures 1-iear this out. It is also stated that the scheme being considered provides that where a subscriber wishes to consult a specialist as . well as his panel doctor, he will be entitled to do so, but that the specialist's fees will be in addition to his annual contribution to the national scheme funds. Apparently the allocation of patients under the scheme will be worked out in a way that will allow as much as possible recognition of a subscriber's preferences., as well as regional convenience.

These are only broad general outlines of the scheme which the medical profession has been asked to consider, apparently by the investigating committee set up by the Government to pre-. pare a national .scheme for health and superannuation benefits on a compulsory contributory basis.