MEDICAL SERVICE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22340, 27 May 1947, Page 4

MEDICAL SERVICE

SPECIAL AREAS RESIDENTS’ RIGHTS LEGISLATION PENDING “I note the board's remarks regarding the rights of residents in the special area. As you will remember, I told the board during my interview that it was intended to amend the legislation to give effect to the board’s opinions and this will be carried out at the first opportunity,” stated a letter from the acting Director-General of Health. Dr. T. R. Ritchie, received yesterday at the meeting of the Cook Hospital Board. The letter added that the department was also very anxious to proceed with the erection of a medical practitioner’s house at To Karaka and asked for information regarding a suitable site. The decision reached by the board and referred to by the director-general was to approve of an appointment of a medical practitioner to be stationed at Te Karaka, but that the department be advised that this board favours residents having the right of their own choice of doctors. “On that part of the resolution in which reference is made to residents being deprived of their choice of a doctor, my board has directed me to repeat its previously-expressed opinion contained in a letter dated November 15, 1946, which stated: ‘Any scheme inaugurated should be on a voluntary basis and those residents who wish should retain the right to attend the doctor of their own choice,’ ” stated the letter to the director-general, Mr. H. H. Barker said the latest letter from the acting director-general was the first announcement of its kind that a change was to be made in the legislation. “It looks as though it has Ministerial consent,” said Mr. Barker.