SOLDIER OUT-PATIENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 June 1919, Page 7

SOLDIER OUT-PATIENTS.

A MEDICAL,OVERHAUL. Last Night, The Medical Branch of the Defence De: partment has. decided to set up a special Medical Board lor the purpose of examining all who are out-patients at all hospitals in New Zealand. This board will travel over the whole of New Zealand with a view to classifying these cases. In addition to returned soldiers actually attending as out-patients, it is believed that there may become disabled men who received their discharge before the possibilities opened up by the recent advances in, military orthopaedic surgery and other kinds of treatment of war disabilities had developed. Any disabled men in this condition who desire their cases to be reviewed by-ihe travelling Medical Board should at once communicate with the Assistant Director of Military Services of their military district (Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, or Otago). That officer will then arrange that these men are brought before the board in the course of its itinerary. Cases requiring treatment will be sent to the most suitable hospital for inpatient treatment, so that they may get greater benefit. Other out-patients have reached a stationary position in regard to their disability, and where the board is satisfied that no, further good can be done, they will be boarded out and their pension finally adjusted.

As the Defence Department baa now! a complete series of hospitals for specialist treatment, the Medical Board will | b» able in many cases to recommend transfers of patients to the hospital in which their particular disability will be dealt with by a specially trained staff. Soldier patients in the civil hospitals are to be included in this examination. The board will make a special note regarding limbless cases and those requiring operative treatment Every patient will have his case considered, with a view to providing him with the best treatment available in the Dominion. ■The poiiey of the Department is not to allow ,itß soldier patients to indefinitely drift. Tlje board comprises a consulting surgeon to the forces and a surgeon who has had a wide experience on a hospital ship and in military hospitals. It will be able to determine what can be done to improve the condition of the patient, and to definitely decide if nothing further can be done by medical science, in which case the soldier will have his pension permanently arranged, and will be atrie to take advantage of the facilities provided bv the State for the assistance of disabled men to learn special occupations suitable for them. It in anticipated this •board will require several months to complete its itinerary.

It is hoped that any discharged soldiers on permanent pension who consider they mav ba "benefited, by further treatment will report, as indicated, to the Assistant (Director of Medical Swvices of thefr district. This will clearly be entirely to their 1 advantage, as although their physical condition may be improved, their pension, if already made permanent, cannot he reduced.