OUT PATIENT SERVICES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 March 1941, Page 4

OUT PATIENT SERVICES

FREE FROM TODAY LIST OF BENEFITS OUTLINED. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Free services to out-patients at public hospitals which will be available as from today were outlined yesterday by the Minister of Health, Mr Nordmeyer. All hospital boards have been circularised and requested to refrain from making charges. There are four services commonly provided at outpatient departments which are not in the meantime to be subject to free treatment. Briefly, the services which will be free will include the following:— All the general, medical and surgical services, consultations or treatment which are at present available. Specialist medical and surgical services where these are already provided. X-ray treatment: Radium treatment. End other my. Ultra-violet and infra-red ray treatment. Electro-cardiographic work. Massage and physiotherapy. Mr Nordmeyer said the services commonly provided at out-patient departments which, were not, in the meantime, to be subject to free treatment were: (1) Dental treatment; (2) drugs, medicines and appliances, including dressings supplied to outpatients to take away for administration or application by the patient himself; (3) X-ray .diagnostic services as distinct from treatment; (4) laboratory services. The Minister explained that it had not been deemed wise to include these benefits in the and it was the intention to bring there - in as supplementary benefits later. The general practitioner service under the Social Security Act is also due to be made available as from today, and application cards for medical benefits can now be obtained at all post offices throughout the Dominion. There are two types of card, one to be used by applicants over 16 years, and the other for use on behalf of applicants under that age.