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Dear Sir,

Your writer's column [BDA Sun April 13] while mildly provocative, to my mind only propels one into figuring out how government might go about closing the indigent clinic.

Perhaps mainstreaming the poor will produce less bother than mainstreaming special needs students.

For students at least, there are profound differences that distinguish them from their peers.

I think it a good argument that such differences, particularly where they impede learning, are better treated and in most cases with better outcomes, in 'special schools'.

The only identifiable difference between those eligible to attend the clinic and the rest everyone else, is how much money they have.

Clearly, lumping people in two piles distinguished only by relative wealth and saying to one pile, "you may receive medical care here" and to the other pile, "you may not", offends at least the spirit of our Human Rights law if not our sensibilities.

I suppose government could start with taking no more clients while social workers guide existing clients to GPs more conveniently located nearer their places of residence - GPs who will be able to form long term relationships with their new patients (just like the rest of us).

Maybe the Government couldn't put its case more eloquently than Dr McPhee did (I sure couldn't have), but close this clinic must - unless there is some difference between rich and poor justifying a clinic that is escaping me.

Delaey Robinson JP

St George's[[In-content Ad]]

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