REACTION OF PUBLIC

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 126, 27 April 1940, Page 6

REACTION OF PUBLIC

HOSPITAL FEES COLLECTION. RESTRICTED MEDICAL BENEFITS “The result of collections under the social security scheme as regards inpatients has been satisfactory iroin the hoard’s point of view. It is necessary to point out, however, that the out-patients’ fees collection has dropped substantially during the year, the staff in the departments dealing with out-patients are continually subject to queries and criticism by members of the public who do not appreciate the fact that the Government has decided to give free hospital treatment under the social security scheme only to in-patients.” This statement was made by the managing-secretary. (Mr A. J. PhilJipps) in his report covering the estimates at the meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board. “Previously f pointed out both to the departmental committee and to this hoard that it could be anticipated that the collection of out-patients’ fees would be increasingly difficult if, as was then proposed and as has subsequently been done, in-patients’ benefits were introduced apart from the benefits for other hospital services. In this district the amount collected in X-ray lees has dropped from £132-1 to £1134 despite a very large increase in the work as disclosed by the medical superintendent’s annual report, and despite a considerable increase in the cost of the department. The ordinary out-patients’ lees collected, including massage department charges, amounted in 193 Sto £IOB and during the past year only £oSl was collected, again despite a considerable increase in work. .Similarly the district nursing patients’ fees collected amount to £3IS in 1938-39 and only £220 for last year.. There has, of course, been no relaxation in effort as regards collection of these fees, but the general reaction of the public has l>een such that it is much harder to collect these fees since the hospital benefits were introduced than was previously the case,” the report added.