MATERNITY SERVICES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20055, 29 September 1939, Page 9

MATERNITY SERVICES

NO DOCTORS’ CONTRACTS AMENDMENT BILL ; EXCEPTIONS DEFINED (?«r ‘ WELLINGTON, this day. The agreement reached between thr Government and the New Zealar' 1 branch of the British Medical Ac ciation for the provision of mater" c r n dor 'he Snc’-l ” earitv Ar 's givn legislative effec* by the Socle' Security'Amendment Bill, which \V3 'introduced bv the Governor-General’ message in the House of Representlives yesterday. The most important feature of thr scheme is that it obviates the necessity of making contracts with doctors Nearly three pages of the bill arcrequired for tile provisions. The first clause states that medical practitioners who attend a maternity case where the woman is entitled to benefit shall receive fees according to the official scale in full satisfaction of their claim. However, where any medical practitioner renders services in respect to which the foes are not fixed in the official scale, he will be entitled to recover them from the patient and may also charge mileage fees and travelling distances, which payment is not made from the social security fund.

Special Provision

A special provision is included which will enable any woman entitled to receive maternity benefit to declare that she does not wish to receive it. In this case the medical attendant is entitled to recover from the patient or other person liable for the fees. Medical practitioners are given full rights either to make a contract with -the department or to withdraw from it. There are special provisions covering the services of obstetrical specialists. They must be recognised as having special skill in this sphere, possess recognised academic qualifications in obstetrics, or hold hospital or other public appointments affording special facilities for acquiring skill of this nature.

The Minister of Health, before approving recognition of a specialist, will receive reports from the DirectorGeneral of Health and tile council of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association.' Any recognised specialist may, in addition to the social security contract fees, charge a fee for liis services which can be recovered from the patient.