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A panel of practitioners willing to carry out such duties was
established and subsequently 31 out of 45 practitioners accepted
service.
A patient upon requiring medical treatment would either continue
under the care of his own doctor, if accepting service under
the Scheme, or be permitted to select the name of a practitioner
on the panel as his medical attendant for the ensuing twelve
months.
A Capitation Fee of 10s. per annum (exclusive of medicines)
payable in quarterly instalments was agreed upon for an experimental
period of one year from October 1st, 1933.
At the expiration of this time, it was possible to report on
the first year's working of the scheme and a joint meeting of the
representatives of the panel practitioners and the Public Assistance
Committee was held to discuss matters in detail. It was agreed
to continue the Capitation Fee then in operation until the end of
the year, in order to permit of full consideration. Subsequently
this fee was increased to 16s. per annum payable in four quarterly
(Calendar) instalments. As before, the payment in each case
covers a period of twelve months' treatment from the first
attendance on the patient. The arrangements since their inception
have worked exceedingly smoothly and few administrative difficulties
have been encountered, although the amount of such work
undertaken by the staff is considerable. There have been no complaints
from patients. The relationship between the Authority,
their Officers and Medical Practitioners has been most cordial.
The scheme has been amended in certain particulars, and
requirements of the Public Assistance order relating to supervision
of mental cases included.