MAJORITY REPORT.
9
The British Medical Association have submitted in Appendix
XI/VII a full statement of their policy with regard to hospitals.
Their attitude, so far as finance is concerned, may be gathered
from the following quotation :—
. ““ The Association recognises a dual policy as regards the
voluntary hospitals ; (a) that the purely charitable side should
be continued wherein the whole cost of the maintenance of
indigent patients is met by the gratuitous contributions
received by the hospital, and on whose behalf the services
of the honorary medical staffs are given gratuitously;
(b) that other patients who are not indigent may be received
for treatment at voluntary hospitals when they cannot pay
for, or cannot obtain, adequate treatment elsewhere, and
that, for them, payment should be received by the hospital
either from the patients themselves or, on their behalf, from
the authority or body referring them to the hospital, and
that, on account of their treatment, some method of
remuneration of the honorary medical staff should be
arranged.” (App. XL VII, Sub-App. D, paragraph E, 3.)
The implication is that, in respect of insured persons, payment,
including an amount for the remuneration of the honorary
medical staff, should be made by the societies to the hospitals
On the question of the relationship of the out-patient depart-
ment to the general practitioner the Association enunciate the
general principle that the primary object of the out-patient
department should be for consultation, and that only such treat-
ment should be given therein as cannot consistently with the
best interests of the patients be properly undertaken by a general
practitioner of ordinary professional competence and skill.
(App. XL\VII, Sub-App. D, paragraph 25.)
96. The National Association of Trade Union Approved
Societies have submitted in paragraphs 138-139 of App. XCIIL,
their policy in regard to hospitals. They contemplate a complete
system of treatment centres, local or cottage hospitals, county
hospitals and national hospitals under public control and sup-
ported by public funds, but ** would give voluntary hospitals the
option of being taken over by the Health Authorities entirely or
of receiving grants from public funds conditional on efficiency.”
“ The Local Health Authority should be represented on the
Boards of Management, and though remaining on an entirely
voluntary basis, such hospitals should work in co-operation with
the public hospital.”
Provision oF NURSES.
97. The amount available in 1924 for this additional benefit
was in England about £152,000, of which, however, only 4 per
cent., or about £6,000, was spent in the year. Difficulties of
administration have been encountered, we are told, owing to the
