The Consultative Institute: To the Editor of the “Birmingham Daily Mail”: Sir. We beg leave to call your attention to the enclosed correspondence, which has passed between Dr. Sundby, representing this committee, and Mr. R. A. Pinsent and Mr. Aston, representing the Consultative Institution, respecting a public conference on the question. We regret that the negotiations should have apparently come to nothing, as we maintain and undertake to prove that the Consultative Institution is not needed in order to provide all persons who are unable to pay the ordinary consulting fees with proper facilities for obtaining the advice they need at the reduced fee of half a guinea, and that if any addition can be usefully made to the plan which has been so long in existence it cannot and ought not to be in the shape of the Consultative Institution … … (long discussion of medical representation) … … The correspondence referred to in the foregoing communication opens May 18 with a letter by Mr. R. A. Pinsent to Dr. Saundby, suggesting a conference of representatives of the Consultative Institute and the medical profession, under the presidency of the Lord Mayor, to discuss the differences between the two bodies. The reply to this was a qualified acceptance of the offer, the proviso being that “the whole of the questions at issue must be laid before the conference, and not merely particular details of the management of the institution.” Mr. Pinsent next wrote asking for a statement of the questions issue which Saundby desired should be laid before the conference. In a reply in which Dr. Saundby formulated the questions, including one which raised the point whether such an institution as the Consultative Institute was necessary, he also requested to be informed whether Mr. Pinsent was writing in his individual capacity or representing Mr. Arthur Chamberlain and the committee of the Hospital Saturday Fund. Mr. Pinsent responded to the effect that his action was prompted by the hope that his knowledge of the question and his intimacy with many the persons concerned might facilitate a settlement. Finding he was mistaken, he suggested that the correspondence should be continued with the secretary of the Consultative institution. … (continues) …
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0738 Devonport: Richard Alfred Pinsent: 1852 – 1948