National medical service
1943-10-20 1943 1940s 15 pages -14- any deterioration of advice or treatment in such places. But as general medical practice, involves perhaps a more intimate and permanent relationship than in other branches of the medical service, especially the aspect of the family doctor, seeing the patients i...
| Institution: | MCR - The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick |
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| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
20 October 1943
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10796/0665DA21-C1D8-40AA-8F38-ECE666DCABE0 http://hdl.handle.net/10796/AF246F7E-7903-4BF7-AC74-392F34FAEF5C |
| Summary: | 1943-10-20
1943
1940s
15 pages
-14- any deterioration of advice or treatment in such places. But as general medical practice, involves perhaps a more intimate and permanent relationship than in other branches of the medical service, especially the aspect of the family doctor, seeing the patients in different phases of their lives, and health, it would be wise still to allow the patient within a broad limit to have the choice of selecting his personal private medical attendant if this can be done with due regard to the exigencies of the good service by necessary adjustment. The principle should not be accepted as a rigid one but as a desirable adjunct in view of personal reactions and relationships. Continuity of Treatment This is seldom voiced now even in medical circles. It was used as an argument to secure retention of Maternity Services in the hands of private practitioners as against the growing popularity of Municipal Ante-Natal Clinics and Infant Welfare Centres and Maternity Homes. It was never a strong or sound argument in view of unavoidable movements of both patients and doctors from different districts. The movement of the population in wartime by evacuation, Essential Work Orders, disposition and service call-ups with great disturbance of the civil population, has weakened it still further. And the Nation's health has allegedly remained very good. Establishment of Advisory Medical Councils Many medical men, mainly because of professional isolationism, are unduly fearful of the lay administration of a medical service by local elected representatives of the common man, especially in the smaller bodies like parish councils. They plead many objections to this local lay administration, particularly want of knowledge of professional matters and the risks of mal-adjustments and unfairness. Consequently they request that the administration of the Medical Service should be in the hands of larger regional bodies. Indeed some urged strenuously the reorganisation and reform of Local Government before the starting of a National Medical Service. They rightly urge the establishment of consultative machinery by which on professional matters or quasiprofessional subjects "within a defined sphere" there should be consultation with opportunities for delay if there is any expressed disagreement from the professional advisory body. This point has considerable force in the professional advisory sense. It is important that representative professional opinion should be available on medical matters and administrative points but there seems no reason why this alleged difficulty or phobia should not be adjusted by agreement with suitable consultative machinery. The really representative medical organisations should have no difficulty in making their influence and power felt in putting forward the views of their members. With goodwill any such difficulty can be overcome even before any drastic reform of Local Government. It is a very good point but should be resisted if used obstructively to delay a comprehensive National Health Service. It is clear that in a good National Service, no mere extension of the N.H.I. Medical Service, lop-sided, disjointed, and limited could meet the medical needs of the workers. It would not for example touch the question of an Industrial Medical Service. Should the medical workers be employed as full time officers? This question is poised here because of the decision of the last representative meeting of the B.M.A. by an overwhelming vote against a full time State Medical Service.
292/847/2/113 |
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| Physical Description: | TEXT |