Rural GPs back subsidy dispute

Rural General Practitioner Network

Media Release
15 May 2005

Rural GPs back subsidy dispute

The Rural GP Network has backed the nationwide decision by all general practice organisations not to cooperate in information gathering for the Government’s subsidy programme.

On Thursday (May 12) general practitioner leaders, representing IPA Council, NZ Medical Association, Royal College of General Practitioners, and Rural General Practitioner Network, advised the Ministry of Health that doctors would not implement the next phase of fees subsidies for 18-24-year-olds

The chairman of the Rural General Practitioner Network, Dr Tim Malloy said feedback at the Network’s Annual Conference indicated support for the action in response to attempts by the Ministry of Health to unilaterally impose new subsidy conditions on general practice.

“Our network strongly supports the action on a point of principle – we cannot allow the Ministry of Health to break its own contract to impose new bureaucratic burdens on general practice.

“We would expect that the Ministry of Health would behave in a cooperative and consultative manner, rather than attempt coercion.

“Compliance issues and fractured relationships with bureaucracies are a big pressure on fragile and overworked rural general practice,” Dr Malloy said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media