HOSPITAL TREATMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 July 1939, Page 4

HOSPITAL TREATMENT

EFFECT OF SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME. TREATMENT OF OUTPATIENTS. ■'So far the Social Security scheme has had no effect at all on the numbers of patients receiving treatment in the hospital." said Mr Norman Lee. Managing-Secretary of the Wairarapa Hospital Board, this morning. "The position is just the same as it. was before the Social Security Act came into force. People hardly realise yet the fact that hospital treatment is free.” Mr Lee said he could see no difficulties in the way as far as the actual operation of the scheme was concerned in relation to hospital treatment.

Although at present outpatients were still liable for fees incurred in any treatment they received, the position did not affect the Masterton Hospital, said Mr Lee, as. except for special provision made for the treatment of indigent cases every Thursday. there was no outpatient department at the Masterton Hospital. In any case these fees, where such a department. was in operation, only ranged from Is to 2s 6d per visit, except in a few exceptional cases. If the benefits under the Social Security Act were extended to include outpatient treatment, no doubt a department to deal with such patients would have to be established at the Masterton Hospital.