MEDICAL CLINICS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 June 1943, Page 3

MEDICAL CLINICS

ENVISAGED BV HEALTH MINISTER

WITH DOCTORS IN SALARIED SERVICE.

HOPES OF EXTENDING AGREEMENT.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day.

The Government's readiness to provide full facilities for a medical service clinic scheme in any district where a group of doctors desire to establish this system was mentioned by the Minister of Health, Mr Nordmeyer, in the debate on the Financial Statement in the House of Representatives last night. He said negotiations were now taking place between the medical men and the Government in two areas with a view to instituting such services.

Referring to the operation of the medical services under social security, Mr Nordmeyer said that it was not any particular phase of the service which could be criticised as lowering the standards of medicine. It was the character and ability of the doctors themselves which determined the quality of the work. He knew there were some doctors who were of the opinion that they could derive the most satisfaction from 'their work and give their best service to the community if they were rewarded on a salary basis. If there were doctors prepared to come into such a scheme the Government would be willing to meet their wishes. DESIRE FOR CHANGE. “There is a widespread and growing desire among members of the profession to lose the old competitive methods of practice and to join with their fellows in a group for a clinic scheme, ’ he continued. There would be room in such a scheme for the general practitioner, and also the specialist and consultant. No health service could claim to be complete brought in all •those. The Government’s policy had been announced again and again and he would confirm it again now. As it appeared impossible to get complete unanimity in the profession or a large measure of agreement, if there was a chance of gaining agreement in anyone area and doctors in it wished to join themselves in the institution of a clinic the Government would take the necessary steps to provide the facilities. Information coming to hand, said the Minister, showed that many doctors did not want to go back- to the old iorm of competitive service, but to come under a salaried service where they would have reasonable hours of work, annual holidays and intervals for post-graduate work. He hoped before the end of the war it would be possible to announce a State salaried service. Those who wished to work under such a scheme would be given an opportunity 7 to do so, but there would be no compulsion. “When the doctors return from the war it is intended to utilise their services, and those of the young doctors who are in training, for a comprehensive health scheme, not only 7 to cure our people from illness but to treat them from the onset of disease,” said the Minister. “The keynote of the future must be prevention as well as cure.” ALIEN DOCTORS. In the course of his speech. Mr Nordmeyer said that of 67 Alien doctors who had been given permits to enter New Zealand, 43 had arrived and 31 were now in practice. Some of them were in the cities, and like many other doctors were earning big incomes, but others were in places where they were earning a relatively small income. Whatever was said on the problem of refugee doctors, some communities would have had to go without a doctor had it not been for them.