HEALTH-INSURANCE EXPERT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 196, 4 September 1937, Page 8

HEALTH-INSURANCE EXPERT

-Press Assooiation.)

Britsh Authority Arrives To Guide N.Z. Scheme ESSENTIAL CONDITIONS

(By Telegraph-

; ATJOKLANDj Last Night. jL 3io ted Britisli authority on ithe medical aspect of national health insurance, Sir Henry Britten Brackenbury, has arrived in Auckland by the Mariposa. Sir Henry, who is accompanied by Lady Brackenbury, is visiting the Bominion at the resquest of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Associa'tion to .assist in the preparation of a satisfactory scheme of insurance for this country. Active in medical, educational and local body work for over 40 years, Sir Henry has pnblished numerous articles on social insurance, mental deficiency and educational and pnblic health administration in recent years. He is vice-president and was formerly chairman of the Council of the British Medical Association and is also chairman of the council of the Institute of Medical Psychology, vice-president of the Central Association for Mental Welfare, a member of the general Medical Council, and a member of the advisory commit'tee to the Ministry of Health. While explaining that he was unable at the present stage to make any specific recommendations for a scheme in New Zealand, Sir Henry outlined methods of health insurance in England. In Britain, he deelared, the scheme had proved a pronounced success. This Tesult had not been achieved immediately after its introduction, but it had been brought into a good working condition as the result of negotiatioas between the medical profession ahd the authorities. "If health insurance proposals in New Zealand are to be a success, it seems to me that there must be two essential conditions," Sir Henry continued. ''The English scheme is compnlsory and contribu'tory for wage earn&rs but it is not general in its scope. It applies only to those who are receiving less than a specified income, and although I have *b definite advice, it would appear that the New Zealand Government has not included this provision. Any general system would prove frightfully expensive to taxpayers and would be broader than is necessary. " When statements- to the effect that the panel system of insurance had met with universal objecliou from both laymen and practitioners, were referred to Sir Henry, he said the con'tention was false. He would say that there had been effects exactly opposite and he belicved there would be a tremendous outcry from the profession and from the pnblic if there were any suggestion of a repeal. The broad principle3 on which the English scheme was applicd were outlined by Sir Henry. He explained that each man eligible under the scheme received a medical card from local insurance committees and this could be presented to any doctor when he was* in need of treatment. There was complete freedom of choice in selec'ting a general practitioner who, if he accepted the patient, signed the card and gave the required treatment free of charge. Specialised treatment was beyond the scheme, but in such cases the general practitioner would carry out the diagnosis and help the patient to obtain the attention that was required. Sir Henry, who intends to spend about six weeks in New Zealand, will discuss insurance proposals with the New Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association. with the object of assisting the Government in the formula'tion of proposals. On arrival in Auckland Sir Henry and Lady Brackenbury were met by Dr Lawrence Ludbrook, president of the Auckland division of the Kew Zealand branch of ihe association, ,