THE DOCTOR'S PAY
SIR,—Your correspondents talk of bringing the topic of the doctor's pay "down to brass tacks," so may I, a mere layman who counts a number- of doctors among his intimate- friends, help in the process? The public is weary of hearing about money from the doctors. It seems as though the profession has forgotten its early promise about serving the needy. The labourer is certainly worthy of his hire but why should his standard of living be so high? Many Salvation Army officers, social workers, probation officers, country parsons, to mention but a few, are doing work equally as important as the doctor's, but their thoughts are of service before fees. People who bring me their old-age-pension and other forms to attest tell of paying the doctor threepence or a shilling when he signed. My income is less than half that of a G.P., but I neither ask nor wish to receive anything for- such services. Further, anyone moving among people hears all too frequently complaints about the different treatment • meted out to panel and paying patients.
No scheme will be better than the men working it. The time is long past when it should be incumbent upon all G.P.s to keep up-to-date in their studies. It is all very well for correspondents to paint pictures of the doctors flocking to post-graduate courses and the like, but how many would? There are too many who have hardly read a book since they left the university, and not all take even a medical journal. It is no use their saying they have not the time or anything like that for it is their duty to keep an fait with the latest 'discoveries in diagnosis' ncl treatment. Men in other professions, who are just as busy as doctors, are compelled to keep abreast of the times and do so.
The doctors' who show they have a working knowledge of psychology or psycho-therapy are few and far between, and those who are willing or able to recognise when a patient needs the minister and not drugs are fewer still. The Great Healer said healing of the sick should go hand in hand with the preaching of the good news of God's Kingdom. Alas! today the two are divorced and so-many doctors deal only with the body. Space forbids my commenting on their individuality, and working like tradesmen competing for business. I have heard a doctor speak of 'a man, who acted for him at holidaytime, " pinching his paying patients." Some of the best doctors I have known were men and women attached to a philanthropic institution who received no fees but accepted thank- offerings which went to the institution funds. The salaries of the women doctors were the same as those of the nurses and school mistresses: those of the men doctors the same as the school masters and the minister, and all were under £3oo per annum. Body, mind and spirit were cared for as a unit by men and women capable of doing so and working together. This is the kind of scheme needed in this country.—Yours faithfully,
LAYMAN.
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