Media Release
4 February 2004
Exodus Of Health Professionals Continues
“The exodus of health professionals from New Zealand to financially greener pastures is continuing and the Government
has to act now to stop it before the shortage of health professionals reaches crisis point,” said New Zealand First
health spokesperson, Barbara Stewart.
“Following the departure of our doctors to Australia we now have pharmacists being actively recruited for positions in
Ireland.
“The representative of an Irish recruitment agency has been in New Zealand for the past month and so far, according to
industry sources, over 40 pharmacists have expressed interest in signing initial one year contracts which can then be
extended.
“This export of professionals will affect everyone but will hit rural and small town dwellers hardest as they are
already having trouble retaining doctors.
“The Government must be more proactive than it has been about keeping track of the number of doctors who are leaving or
we will wake up one morning and find that there are no doctors to take our children to and no pharmacists to have our
prescriptions filled,” said Mrs Stewart.
ENDS