Panel Pay and Extended Services.—I

Dr. Cox has recently pointed out that before the question of the pay of the panel doctor can be settled for the future it is necessary to determine the nature of the service to be required of him, or, in other words, whether there is to be any modification in the terms of the present contract, apart from minor matters. He has also pointed out that, after the end of this year, 7s. 3d. only per head of the insured population will be available for paying the panel doctor (who at present gets 9s. 6d.), unless other moneys are forthcoming from a special Exchequer grant?which the Government may be expected to resist ; from a grant from funds which are, in effect, the funds of Approved Societies? which the Societies may be expected to resist; or from an increased weekly insurance contribution? which everybody may be expected to resist. If, therefore, the doctors will not accept 7s. 3d.?and there seems little likelihood of this?there arises a pretty problem for settlement in which those of us who are lookers-on may return thanks for not being concerned. (In passing, it seems doubtful if even 7s. 3d. can be said to be available. The total sum provided by the Act of 1920 for Medical Benefit is 9s. 6d. Out of this, drugs and appliances have to be provided, and also mileage for the rural doctors ; the former is not a fixed yearly sum and for the two taken together it is probably not safe to reserve less than 2s. 6d. out of the sum of 9s. 6d., leaving 7s.). In circumstances such as these it is not helpful to say merely that something must be done or to make