THE INSURANCE ACT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 10, 8 January 1913, Page 5

THE INSURANCE ACT.

A PROTEST FROM DOCTORS. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) » (Received 4U.3d a.in.) uuimoii, .January 7. A mass meeting of doctors a. Queen s Joan protested against An inoyd-Ueorge's coercive mecnous. ■ The amended enter w hich Mr Liny a George matte to me doctors in rmpm.. of service under the sickness punas ions ol me national Insurance Ac. provided tor the payment to tne doctor or seven sninmgs per annum io. each insured person, including extra;, and tuberculosis cases; is del loi drugs; and (id as an additional payment for drugs it the is del is ex ceected, failing which the dd passes to tne doctors. inis makes a tola, of l ds per head, or 2s del per insured person more train was originally proposed. In addition, there is a central fund for epidemics involving ai. abnormal demand for drugs. Tut doctors, in return for the increased payment are asked to issue certificates to enable insured persons to secure sickness or disablement benefit; they have to keep records of patients am. oi illnesses; and the Insurance Commissioners are responsible tor a heightened standard or treatment and loi a surer diagnosis.

Tlie Cluuiceilor of the Exchequei outlined a selieme for a national medical service if rne more liberal tern;. 1 lie offered to the doctors were not accepted. Applying the idea to a town at two hundred thousand inhabitants; lie said: “At the head of the service would be a principal medical officer, wiio would ue responsible for tat working of the service, and would bt not only a skilled physician, thorougnly competent to supervise and appreciate the work of his subordinates, but also a highly efficient administra tor. Immediately under him wouJc be \ a staff of skilled specialists, win would help the general practitioner: of the service in any case of difficulty Then would come the general practi tioners of the service, of whom sonu would he junior practitioners and otb ers senior practitioners of wide ex perience. These would work on ai organised system, proper provision be ing made for mgnt calls and otlic. emergencies, and they would ho as sisted by an efficient staff of nurses Their work would be done under com potent supervision, and they would In able promptly to secure skilled as sistance in cases of difficulty. Sue: a service would naturally work ii close co-operation with the publi. health authority and the educatioi authority.” The administration o, the medical benefits under the Act i, in the hands of local insurance com mittees on which the medical pro fession is represented.