NO MEDICAL BENEFITS

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21371, 15 March 1941, Page 11

NO MEDICAL BENEFITS

DOCTORS STAND FIRM MANY GOING OVERSEAS IMPOSSIBILITY OF SCHEME (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Friday No change has taken place in the attitude of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association in declining to enter into the general practitioner scheme. This is shown by a report of a meeting of the branch held in Wellington. “Questions relating to the Social Security medical benefits were discussed and reports showed that singularly few practitioners throughout the country had accepted the Social Security so-called contract for general practitioner service,” stated the report. “It was recognised that this was due not only to primary reasons of principle and loyalty to the association and to colleagues overseas, but also to the realisation of the practical impossibility of undertaking such a service at the present time. This was the more evident in view of the pressure of special circumstances which must operate in the case of many doctors. ‘Reports showed further that there had been surprisingly few contract cards presented by the public. Apart from the known objection of doctors to receiving them, it appeared evident that the public overwhelmingly preferred to make its own arrangements privately or through its own organisations to the nationalised scheme. Needs of Armed Forces “The public was beginning to realise that since it cost much more already than the Social Security Fund contains to finance the benefits now provided, it was certain that fully implemented medical benefits would entail much heavier taxation. This must be an increase either of the social security tax or of general taxation, and the workers in the aggregate would be the heaviest contributors.

“Members of the association overseas on service,” the report continued, “were unable to make any combined representation on the matter. It was apparent, however, that there was among them serious apprehension as to the conditions awaiting their return and little satisfaction with measures for their protection projected by the Government.” The Director-General of Medical Services, Brigadier F. T. Bowerbank, informed the meeting that he would have to call upon the profession for 60 to 70 additional medical officers for service with the Navy, Army and Air Force, and that in the event of developments he would require at least 110 more.

The meeting decided that this fact of stark necessity made the question of providing a free general practitioner service unapproachable for numerical and physical reasons alone before the conclusion of the war and demobilisation. Nevertheless the association, while not participating in the social security medical benefit contract, adhered to its previous offer to the Minister to do its utmost to maintain civilian needs and military requirements, and was open to discussion on any points requiring assistance.