THE BRYCE CASE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2826, 20 December 1924, Page 1

THE BRYCE CASE

C OMIHS STONER ’ S FINDING

“HOSPITALS SHOULD BE OPEN TO EVERYONE.” Wellington, December 17 Mr E. Page, S.M., the commission appointed to inquire into the Bryce c;.se at Palmerston N., lias reported. In his findings he says: “Looking at all the circumstances, I think Dr. Barnett, having accepted the appointment of honorary surgeon, should not have declined to operate on a patient who was duly admitted in accordance with the practice and policy of the hoard, and on whom, in order to vary the course of the hospital system, it fell to his lot to attend.” Miss Bryce, continues the commission, was sent to the Palmerston N Hospital primarily to assert or to test the principle which her fa flier maintained. Dr. Barnett was awaro of |his. and his refusal to operate was dieial'jd bv bis desire to vindicate the view held by himself and by other honorary staff on the important question of principle which Mr Bryce’s action had raised.

“The "practice of doctors in Palmerston N. including the honorary medical staff", is discriminating, according to a patient’s financial position. between various patients seeking admission, is not desirable am! should be discontinued.” Hospitals are maintained out of local rates and general taxes and the commissioner thinks the hospitals should he open to everyone, though if the accommodation is limited the poorer patient should have preference. Adequate fees, including a reasonable fee for operation, etc., sufficient to cover the whole cost of treatment, should, he says, he charged those able to pay.

He recommends that the fees he increased to cover the full cost of the maintenance and treatment of patients in public hospitals. Boards should retain the power of remitting the whole,or part of the fees in the case of any patient unable to pay. It is suggested that Hospital Boards and the Department of Health take into consideration the important question of so extending the operations of public hospitals as to adequately serve all classes of the community. There was, states the commissioner, a tendency towards establishing private rooms and semi-private wards in the main hospitals. These could lie made use of by patients willing to pay for them. A workable scheme would, the commissioner thought, lie gradually evolved whereby patients in a public hospital could he treated if desired by their own private practitioners. If honorary medical staffs are to be continued, further provision might be made for that treatment, or providing that patiens able to pay should pay to the physician or surgeon a moderate fee in accordance with an agreed scale.