Evening star., 1948-10-15
Few Complaints Noted
As Britain's Health
Plan Gets Under Way
BY the Asseeiosed Press

LSNbSN, oCL. lO.-a uIAO llCUl8
man in mismatched coat and trou.
sers fumbled his shabby hat nerv-
ously and told the hospital super
intendent:
MY wife is bleeding. It's bad"
The superintendent went through
a card file of 600 patients awaiting
admission to st. Bartholomew's Hos
pital. The file showed the woman
had a uterine cancer and was on q
priority list for entry very soon."
The growing tumor had caused q
hemorrhage, making it an urgent
case. Within an hour this 39-year.
old wife was in the hospital where
she could have care ranging up 10
delicate surgery and the use of Brit.
aims most powerful weapon against
cancer-a million-volt X-ray ma.
chine.
Difficulties illustrated.
This was one incident that oc.
Cured In the first few weeks opera.
ton Of Britain's new National Health
Service, which came into existence
July S.
1t demonstrates the difficulties 40
well as the benefits that accom-
panied the health program.
St. Bartholomew, one of Brit.
aims greatest hospitals. treats 1000
patients at time, but has a waiting
list of 900. .-rs-f .r..
If the woman could have had at.
tention earlier, her case might never
have become so difficult. Too few
doctors and too little hospital space
kept her waiting until the case war
urgent and the ailment so deeply
entrenched that little could be done.
These problems were present be-
fore the health plan began. Health
Ministry officials figure that similar
cramping will continue several
years. EYentually,<..th they hope to
overcerne its,r t~.
Expansion Needed.
More hospital building and equip.
r1nerlt is still drawing board stuff.
waiting In line for men, money and
material to be eased out OF housing
projects. 1t takes time to train
doctors but Health Minister Aneurin
Bevan believes more and more
youths will try medicine for q
career now that they are assured
OF a minimum living as soon as
they are qualified and do not have
to indeht themselves to buy prac-
tice. 49,
Alice Bacon, a Labor member of
Parliament, complained recently that
some doctors were running a black
market" in treatment. =
A few refused to take public
patients with cancer or other dis.
eases requiring a greats deal of at.
tention. she said, and charged that,
others would promise good treatment
only to paying patients.
Mr.. Bevan acknowledged Miss:
Bacon's charges were true of a
very small minority" of doctors who
entered the health scheme.
Most Accept Plan.
Most, however, accepted the plan
with good grace-even some of the
minority who voted against enter
ing the scheme when the British
Medical Association polled them
Those who do not give adequate,
service to their public patients are
subject to dismissal by a three-man
tribunal if complaints can be sup
ported. .
Even the foes of the scheme have
not had much to say against 1t
since July S.
Leaders Of the British Medical
Association fought the plan. They
were supported by the Conservative
papers. But since the service began
to operate there has been hardly
a word of complaint either in the
papers or in the associations Brit
ish Medical Journal.
The National Health Service Is
designed to provide free treatment
of whatever kind Is needed for
every person in England and Wales
1859 900 Of them. About 3a,500, 900
have signed up for 1t.