RELEASE FROM ROYAL AIR FORCE
1
281 cholera, epidemic there. The needs and desires of the Philippine Commonwealth are now being clarified, and a delegation from UNRRA will work out detailed plans of assistance with the Philippine authorities. Before long it should be known what the state of affairs really is in some of the other areas, including the Netherlands East Indies, and what help they expect from UNRRA. Its responsibility for the health, care, and transportation of refugees and other displaced persons in the Orient will soon be defined. The principal aim of UNRRA in its health work in the Orient, as in Europe, will be to assist health authorities of the various governments to get on their feet without delay, and during the emergency period to support them with supplies and expert services. Every step will be planned to give necessary temporary assistance, and at the same time fit in with the long-range projects of the governments for development after UNRRA has completed its work and retired from their countries. ’The success of UNRRA in health work will largely be measured by the rapidity with which it enables health departments to work effectively and independently. MEDICAL STUDENTS AND NATIONAL HEALTH THE views of a rising generation are sometimes hard to guess, as the election results showed, and a report 1 by the British Medical Students Association on national health services is timely. Those "Who compiled it have tried to produce a plan in addition to stating an opinion- perhaps rather ambitiously, since it is not altogether . <;lear how strongly the various points in it are supported. For example, it seems that students dislike the custom of buying and selling practices, but believe it must be maintained in order to safeguard the man who wishes to remain independent. But the report does not state how many members of the BMSA wish or expect to practise privately. The national committee of the BMSA which drew up the report has, in fact aimed at giving a fair account of every shade of opinion, not merely of the opinion of the majority. The task of collecting these opinions has been laborious. Discus- sions were held in schools-sometimes in the form of debates, sometimes following addresses by members of the staff, and sometimes at purely student meetings of the unions. Reports from schools were correlated by delegates, who formed regional committees ; and these committees sent representatives to the executive com- mittee, members of which had meanwhile held discus- sions with the Minister of Health and the Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry. The association feel that this method of collection, with several references back to the schools, has produced a fairer report than a questionnaire would have done. It seems that medical students on the whole are far less apprehensive of a national health service than are doctors, Of the present generation, the most senior students had just left school when the war began. Six formative years have been spent in an atmosphere of national planning and cohesion, with individualism giving way to the communal good. Their report holds that ultimate responsibility for the national health service must rest with Parliament and with the various municipal authori- ties ; and they are prepared to accept a Central Medical Board which is appointed, not elected, provided that " the Central Health Services Council is freely elected and is free to publish its reports." They believe that all health centre practice should be in the hands of doctors in the public service, and favour payment by salary plus capitation fee : dissentients from this view nearly all favour salary alone. They suggest that a public service should be formed, and are perfectly satisfied that young doctors who choose to join should at first be liable to direction. Having been under the National Service Acts 1. Medical Student Opinion on the Proposed National Health Service. Obtainable from the Secretary, BMSA, BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1. from the time they left school, students are not alarmed by the idea of direction as a corollary to public service, though they are anxious that direction should not be forced on those who do not want it. They therefore hold that membership of the national health service should be voluntary, and that even within the service the time a young doctor is obliged to spend in work to which he has been directed should be limited. A wish to serve in a certain locality or type of locality should, they think, be sympathetically considered. If positions are advertised in the usual manner, the present uneven’distribution of doctors, they suggest, will correct itself automatically. They consider that many of the arguments against setting up of health centres at once are invalid. It may be impracticable just now to build new centres, but they think existing buildings could be adapted quickly, at relatively low cost. They are against plans to establish only a few health centres for " an experimental period," feeling these would be an excuse for procrastination. Health centres in existing buildings, based on " the large fund of experience in other countries " (South Africa and Scandinavia are quoted as examples) could begin working now, providing an experiment which could last until building is undertaken. They are particularly opposed to delay in setting up the service : " Many young doctors coming out of the Forces have never been in private practice and would want to enter the service ; if no service exists, they will be compelled to embark on private practice, and the problem of subsequently establishing a public service with the number of private practitioners thus reinforced would become even more formidable." A slight bias in favour of the white-paper proposals has become a stronger desire for a national health service as discussions proceeded ; but students constantly emphasise that those doctors who do not wish to enter it should be free to practise outside. TYPHUS FEVER SiNCE few doctors in this country have seen much of typhus fever, the Ministry of Health in 1942 formed a panel of men with special experience of the disease who would be willing to help their colleagues in the diagnosis ‘ of suspected cases.1 In this panel of 8-10 consultants in different parts of the country gaps have now appeared, and the Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry would be glad to hear from doctors with the necessary clinical experience who are willing on occasion to assist in the diagnosis of typhus in the districts in which they live. A fee of 5 guineas and out-of-pocket expenses is paid by the Minister when a member of the panel is called upon to act, and the consultant is required to provide the Minister with a written report on each case seen. , RELEASE FROM ROYAL AIR FORCE THE Air Ministry announces that it has -been decided to speed up the releases of RAF medical officers, who will be released by age-and-service groups as follows : By Oct. 31, 1945. Groups 13 and 14 (i.e. additional to Groups 11 and 12). " Nov. 30 Groups 15 and 16. - " Dec. 31 " Groups 17 and 18. " Jan. 31, 1946. Group 19. " Feb. 28 " Group 20. The intention is to release medical officers at the rate of ’ 2’3 per 1000 of personnel released. The strength of doctors in the RAF is at present-and has been for some time-stabilised at 2.27 per 1000. Thus the RAF propose to release them pari passu with general releases. Dr. HADEN GuEST, MP, has been appointed chairman of the Medical Personnel Priority Committee, which advises on apportionment, of doctors between the Ser- vices and the civilian population, in succession to Sir Geoffrey Shakespeare. 1. Lancet, 1942, i, 235.
Transcript of RELEASE FROM ROYAL AIR FORCE
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cholera, epidemic there. The needs and desires of thePhilippine Commonwealth are now being clarified, anda delegation from UNRRA will work out detailed plans ofassistance with the Philippine authorities. Before longit should be known what the state of affairs really is insome of the other areas, including the Netherlands EastIndies, and what help they expect from UNRRA. Its
responsibility for the health, care, and transportation ofrefugees and other displaced persons in the Orient willsoon be defined. The principal aim of UNRRA in itshealth work in the Orient, as in Europe, will be to assisthealth authorities of the various governments to get ontheir feet without delay, and during the emergencyperiod to support them with supplies and expert services.Every step will be planned to give necessary temporaryassistance, and at the same time fit in with the long-rangeprojects of the governments for development after UNRRAhas completed its work and retired from their countries.’The success of UNRRA in health work will largely bemeasured by the rapidity with which it enables healthdepartments to work effectively and independently.
MEDICAL STUDENTS AND NATIONAL HEALTH
THE views of a rising generation are sometimes hardto guess, as the election results showed, and a report 1by the British Medical Students Association on national
health services is timely. Those "Who compiled it havetried to produce a plan in addition to stating an opinion-perhaps rather ambitiously, since it is not altogether
. <;lear how strongly the various points in it are supported.For example, it seems that students dislike the customof buying and selling practices, but believe it must bemaintained in order to safeguard the man who wishesto remain independent. But the report does not statehow many members of the BMSA wish or expect topractise privately. The national committee of theBMSA which drew up the report has, in fact aimed atgiving a fair account of every shade of opinion, notmerely of the opinion of the majority. The task of
collecting these opinions has been laborious. Discus-sions were held in schools-sometimes in the form ofdebates, sometimes following addresses by membersof the staff, and sometimes at purely student meetingsof the unions. Reports from schools were correlated bydelegates, who formed regional committees ; and thesecommittees sent representatives to the executive com-mittee, members of which had meanwhile held discus-sions with the Minister of Health and the Chief MedicalOfficer of the Ministry. The association feel that thismethod of collection, with several references back to theschools, has produced a fairer report than a questionnairewould have done.
It seems that medical students on the whole are far lessapprehensive of a national health service than are doctors,Of the present generation, the most senior students hadjust left school when the war began. Six formative
years have been spent in an atmosphere of nationalplanning and cohesion, with individualism giving way tothe communal good. Their report holds that ultimateresponsibility for the national health service must restwith Parliament and with the various municipal authori-ties ; and they are prepared to accept a Central MedicalBoard which is appointed, not elected, provided that" the Central Health Services Council is freely electedand is free to publish its reports." They believe that allhealth centre practice should be in the hands of doctorsin the public service, and favour payment by salary pluscapitation fee : dissentients from this view nearly allfavour salary alone. They suggest that a public serviceshould be formed, and are perfectly satisfied that youngdoctors who choose to join should at first be liable to
direction. Having been under the National Service Acts1. Medical Student Opinion on the Proposed National Health
Service. Obtainable from the Secretary, BMSA, BMA House,Tavistock Square, London, WC1.
from the time they left school, students are not alarmedby the idea of direction as a corollary to public service,though they are anxious that direction should not beforced on those who do not want it. They therefore holdthat membership of the national health service should bevoluntary, and that even within the service the time ayoung doctor is obliged to spend in work to which he hasbeen directed should be limited. A wish to serve in acertain locality or type of locality should, they think, besympathetically considered. If positions are advertisedin the usual manner, the present uneven’distribution ofdoctors, they suggest, will correct itself automatically.They consider that many of the arguments against settingup of health centres at once are invalid. It may be
impracticable just now to build new centres, but they thinkexisting buildings could be adapted quickly, at relativelylow cost. They are against plans to establish only a fewhealth centres for " an experimental period," feelingthese would be an excuse for procrastination. Healthcentres in existing buildings, based on " the large fund ofexperience in other countries " (South Africa andScandinavia are quoted as examples) could begin workingnow, providing an experiment which could last untilbuilding is undertaken. They are particularly opposedto delay in setting up the service : " Many youngdoctors coming out of the Forces have never been inprivate practice and would want to enter the service ; ifno service exists, they will be compelled to embark onprivate practice, and the problem of subsequentlyestablishing a public service with the number of privatepractitioners thus reinforced would become even more
formidable." A slight bias in favour of the white-paperproposals has become a stronger desire for a national healthservice as discussions proceeded ; but students constantlyemphasise that those doctors who do not wish to enter itshould be free to practise outside.
TYPHUS FEVER
SiNCE few doctors in this country have seen much oftyphus fever, the Ministry of Health in 1942 formed apanel of men with special experience of the disease whowould be willing to help their colleagues in the diagnosis
‘
of suspected cases.1 In this panel of 8-10 consultantsin different parts of the country gaps have now appeared,and the Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry would beglad to hear from doctors with the necessary clinicalexperience who are willing on occasion to assist in thediagnosis of typhus in the districts in which they live.A fee of 5 guineas and out-of-pocket expenses is paid bythe Minister when a member of the panel is called uponto act, and the consultant is required to provide theMinister with a written report on each case seen. ,
RELEASE FROM ROYAL AIR FORCE
THE Air Ministry announces that it has -been decidedto speed up the releases of RAF medical officers, who willbe released by age-and-service groups as follows :
By Oct. 31, 1945. Groups 13 and 14 (i.e. additional toGroups 11 and 12).
" Nov. 30 Groups 15 and 16.-
" Dec. 31 " Groups 17 and 18." Jan. 31, 1946. Group 19." Feb. 28 " Group 20.
The intention is to release medical officers at the rate of’ 2’3 per 1000 of personnel released. The strength ofdoctors in the RAF is at present-and has been for sometime-stabilised at 2.27 per 1000. Thus the RAF proposeto release them pari passu with general releases.
Dr. HADEN GuEST, MP, has been appointed chairmanof the Medical Personnel Priority Committee, whichadvises on apportionment, of doctors between the Ser-vices and the civilian population, in succession to Sir
Geoffrey Shakespeare.1. Lancet, 1942, i, 235.
