Hon Simeon Brown
Minister of Health
Hon Matt Doocey
Associate Minister of Health

Taupō Hospital has become the first hospital in the North Island to receive accreditation to deliver Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) training, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey have announced.

“The Government is committed to growing and strengthening our health workforce, and a strong rural workforce is a key part of that,” Mr Brown says.

“In rural settings where access to specialist health services can be limited, generalist doctors – who can work flexibly across multiple disciplines and service areas – play a vital role.

“This accreditation is a significant step towards building a stronger rural health workforce in Taupō. It will help increase the number of doctors trained with the broad skills needed to support the surrounding rural communities.

“Rural generalists can sustainably manage a broad range of patient needs and work within clinical networks to ensure patients get access to specialist teams when required.

“The ACRRM programme will enable registrars to train to work in Taupō Hospital while also developing advanced skills in fields such as obstetrics, anaesthetics, mental health, or endoscopy.

Mr Doocey says being an accredited ACRRM training location means Taupō can attract both New Zealand and Australian registrars and graduates and provides an opportunity for some New Zealand doctors working overseas to return home during their training.

“One of the five priorities of the National Rural Health Strategy is to create a valued and flexible rural health workforce, and training young doctors as rural generalists directly supports this goal,” Mr Doocey says.

“Taupō Hospital’s new accreditation complements the existing pathway for New Zealand doctors through the New Zealand Rural Hospital Medicine Training Programme.

“All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality healthcare, and the Government is committed to improving health outcomes, particularly for the one in five Kiwis living in rural areas.

“To improve access and rural health outcomes, we must invest in growing and supporting the rural health workforce. Taupō Hospital’s accreditation is an important step towards that.”

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