HIGHER PAYMENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21112, 4 June 1943, Page 4

HIGHER PAYMENTS

HOSPITAL BOARDS RAISED TO &/- DAILY OCCUPIED BED RATE (P.R.) WELLINGTON, Juno 4. A‘ decision to increase the hospital benefit from 6s to 9s a day was announced by-the Minister of Finance, the Hon. V. Nash, in presenting the Budget last night. He said that since the present hospital benefit of fis a day per occupied lied was granted there had been a substantial increase in the cost of maintenance 1 of patients. The cost, lo the social security fund is estimated at £6001,000 for this financial year, but there will- automatically bo a reduction i in hospital subsidies from tne. consolidated fund of half the amount pavrtble to hospital boards. This had been! adiusted by an increase in the amount 'transferred from the consolidated fund to the social security fund. Portion of the increased payment from the social security fund would go to the patients of private hospitals, and the net-'relief‘in hospital levies on local bodies would be about £2o(),000. Levies on local authorities for 1939-40 determined upon by hospital boards before the introduction of hospital benefits amounted to £1,094,000. For 1942,43 the amount was £1,313,000. an increase over the period of £224,000. The proposed increase to 9s a day should thus'generally meet the increase since .1939-40; 1 The contribution to revenue from the Consolidated fund —namely £4.100,(loo— represents an increase of £300.000 compared with last year, while tlic social security charge is estimated to return the same amount- as last year; otherwise the increase in expenditure will be met from cash balances in the fund. -