AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

AMENDMENTS OF THE CANBERRA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (CHARGES) REGULATIONS

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

No. 16 of 1953

	The main purpose of these amendments to the Regulations made under the Canberra Community Hospital Ordinance 1938-1952 is to provide a schedule of charges by which the Canberra Community Hospital Board will be able to recover the cost of providing medical treatment to persons who have or may have (in the opinion of the Medical Superintendent) an enforceable claim for compensation or damages from another person in respect of the expenses of such treatment.

	At the present time the Canberra Community Hospital (Charges) Regulations provide for charges to be made in respect of in-patient hospital treatment and certain out-patient services, but they do not provide for charges to be made in respect of medical attendance, service or treatment provided by the Canberra Community Hospital medical staff in cases of emergency where the patient’s own doctor is not in attendance.  Regulation 9 and the schedule of charges specified in the Third Schedule of the amended Regulations overcome this deficiency.

	The Third Schedule details charges for specified attendance, service or medical treatment by the Canberra Community Hospital medical staff.  These charges apply to person who are entitled to compensation or damages, irrespective of whether these persons are in-patients and receive radiological or dental services or a course of physiotherapy, or an electrocardiograph examination, Regulation 9 provides for a charge to be made.

	The Third Schedule is based on Schedule “G” of the New South Wales Workers’ Compensation Act 1926‑1951, which fixes the fees charged by private doctors for medical services to persons covered by workmens’ compensation, etc.  These fees were agreed on by the New South Wales Branch of the British Medical Association, the Government Insurance Office of New South Wales, the Associated Licensed Insurers and the Non-Tariff Insurance Association of Australia.  These fees apply to medical services rendered by private medical practitioners to compensation or damages cases in the Australian Capital Territory.  This right to make charges for medical treatment to compensation or damages cases is extended to the Canberra Community Hospital Board by these amendments to the Canberra Community Hospital (Charges) Regulations.