“We Feel Heard” – Investment Is A Vital First Step Towards Improving Access To General Practice

General Practice New Zealand (GPNZ) welcomes the Government’s recognition of the need to invest in general practice and strengthen the primary care workforce. This funding boost is a crucial step towards ensuring that New Zealanders can access timely, high-quality healthcare in their communities.

“One of the key roles of GPNZ is advocating for the wellbeing of New Zealanders by supporting high quality general practice and community-based services. We have long called for greater investment in general practice to address growing pressures. While there is still a lot more to do, today’s announcement certainly makes us feel heard,” says Porirua-based Specialist General Practitioner and Chair of GPNZ, Dr Bryan Betty.

“This investment will help ensure that patients receive the care they need when they need it, while also strengthening the sustainability of the workforce.”

General practice is at the heart of our health system, with most people receiving the majority of their healthcare through their local GP. However, in recent years we’ve experienced the ‘perfect storm’ of increasing patient demand, growing complexity and successive years of funding increases that don’t cover costs.

“We cannot accept long wait times as the new normal,” says Dr Betty. “When people can’t see their GP in a timely manner their health can deteriorate which can lead to more serious conditions and increased pressure on hospitals. This funding acknowledges that primary care is a critical part of the solution.”

Timely access to general practice not only benefits individuals but also alleviates pressure on hospitals by preventing avoidable admissions. For the health system to function effectively, all parts must be adequately resourced and work collaboratively to improve the health, social, and economic wellbeing of New Zealanders.

“Those who struggle most to access care are often those with the greatest needs. As we improve access to urgent care it is critical that care remains clinically appropriate, ensuring patients receive face-to-face consultations when necessary, with the right clinician at an affordable at an affordable cost,” says Dr Betty. “Integration with a person’s usual general practice must also be a key focus.”

The investment in growing and developing the GP and nursing workforce is particularly welcome, with the new funding making an important contribution. We need a greater proportion of medical and nursing graduates to choose careers in general practice and to make it easy for them to choose that pathway, rather than focusing so much of early training on the hospital. GPNZ will continue to work closely with Health New Zealand |Te Whatu Ora to support these training initiatives.

“The addition of a range of new roles such as pharmacists, paramedics and physios in recent years has been a game changer for patients and for the general practice workforce. We also need to ensure there is ongoing funding to recruit and retain these roles as they offer direct access to a wider range of specialist clinical support, adds Dr Betty.

We support expectations that general practice providers offer a minimum range of services, and clinically appropriate ways that their patients can access them. We look forward to collaborating with Health NZ to develop and implement reasonable performance measures that uphold quality standards while ensuring practices are supported to meet them.

Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) have a vital role in supporting general practice and the delivery of a wider range of services to their local communities. To ensure the success of these initiatives it is also important that we have a clear direction on that future role that enables them to maximise their potential in improving the health and wellbeing of our population.

“GPNZ will continue to work alongside the Government and Health NZ to ensure this funding translates into real improvements for patients,” says Dr Betty. “This investment is a positive step forward, but there is more work to be done to ensure a sustainable and accessible general practice sector for the future.”

See also: Healthcare boost means seeing a GP, faster – announcement by Hon. Simeon Brown. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/healthcare-boost-means-seeing-gp-faster

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