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The Honourable M. B. Howard, 11th June, 1948. Minister of Health, Wellington. Dear Madam, — As the Medical Services Committee set up in October, 1947, we have the honour to submit our report. A summary of the Committee's recommendations is given in paragraph 65. PERSONNEL OF COMMITTEE AND ORDER OF REFERENCE 2. The Committee as originally appointed consisted of— Mr. T. P. Cleary, Barrister and Solicitor (Chairman). Dr E D * PuHon i"^ e P resen^a^veS ew Zealand Branch of the British 'tV c< \tt r I Medical Association. Dr. D. S. Wylie J Dr. D. Cook "] Dr. L. C. McNickle of the Department of Health. Mr. A. V. KeisenbergJ Following the first series of meetings Dr. Buist had unfortunately, on account of illness, to relinquish duty until the final meetings of the Committee. His place on the Committee was taken by Dr. A. E. Park, and the final series of meetings was attended by both Dr. Buist and Dr. Park. Mr. A. R. Hutchings, of the Department of Health, and Mr. G-. R. Lee, General Secretary of the British Medical Association (New Zealand Branch), were also in attendance throughout the Committee's sittings. Mr. I. K. McKenzie, of the Department of Health, acted as Secretary to the Committee. 3. The Committee's Order of Reference, as approved by Cabinet, was as follows : Generally to examine and confer upon the provisions of Part 111 of the Social Security Act, 1938, affecting the services of medical practitioners, and to examine and confer upon the administration of those provisions, and to advise as to what alterations are necessary to give effect' to the Government's policy of making available adequate and proper medical services (general and specialist) free or substantially free of cost; and, in particular, to make recommendations as to—(a) The methods by which medical practitioners should be remunerated, directly or indirectly, out of the Social Security Fund or other Government funds : (b) The scales or rates of such remuneration and the procedure for determining and altering such scales or rates : (c) The manner in which appointments to salaried posts should be made : . (d) The qualifications and experience which should be taken into consideration in the recognition of specialists : (e) Arrangements for ensuring an adequate distribution of medical practitioners throughout the Dominion : (/) Any other relevant matters. 4. When notified of its order of reference the Committee was given an extensive list of questions compiled partly by the Department and partly by representatives of the New Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association. The Committee was informed that some of these questions might not be within the scope of the Committee's consultations, but that determinations on this point were left to the Committee. PROCEDURE 5. The Committee met in the board room of the Department of Health, Wellington, on the 20th and 21st and on 24th to 28th November, 1947, and again on 12th to 16th January, 1948, and finally on 20th and 21st May, 1948. 6. Officers of the Department submitted to the Committee several statements dealing with the operation of the existing benefits and the expenditure thereon. The Association's representatives supplied copies of the reports of the Association's Medical Planning Committee, together with considered statements in writing on particular

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