Govt Should Encourage Salaried GP Option

12 December 2005

“Government Should Encourage Salaried GP Option To Help Overcome Shortages”

“The government should encourage district health boards to consider directly employing salaried GPs as one means of addressing the serious and worsening GP shortage,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. Mr Powell was commenting on the report of the College of GPs on the perilous state of the GP workforce.

“Salaried employment with DHBs in areas where there are serious recruitment and retention difficulties would allow GPs to be covered by the senior doctors’ national collective agreement which would bring them many benefits. It would be consistent with the increasing aspirations of GPs for a better work-life balance and attractive for those who do not wish to have to run a business in order to practice medicine. It would also help better integration and collaboration between primary and secondary care.”

“It is worth noting that the West Coast DHB has recognised the value of directly employing its own GPs and is making considerable gains out of this. Other DHBs should be encouraged to promote this opportunity.”

“The opportunity for salaried GP employment by DHBs is not the only measure that is needed but would go a long way to help overcome the workforce shortage issue and also be consistent with the government’s objective of improving access to primary health care,” concluded Mr Powell.

ENDS

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