Painting a picture of New Zealand’s rural health history

“Jean came bouncing up to me, saying, ‘Martin I have wonderful news – we’re going to be editing a book’”

A new book aims to bring to life the history of the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network, just in time for the network’s 30th birthday next year.

With the network set to become a rural health “umbrella” organisation, Hauora Taiwhenua, at its AGM in 2022, it’s an auspicious time to put a book together, say the editors, locum GP Martin London and rural nurse Jean Ross.

Dr Ross, who is chief editor and an associate professor at Otago Polytechnic, says the idea of a book on the rural network has been on her mind for some years.

Conversations with fellow network members at the National Rural Health Conference in 2016 revealed a similar desire to capture the network’s legacy and history.

But it wasn’t until this year’s conference, held in Taupō in April, that the ball started rolling, following a chat with the rural network’s chief executive Grant Davidson, says Dr Ross.

“There are so many younger members of the network who don’t know the history, and this is the time to write it, before things move on.”

After putting a proposal forward, she received a contract from the network and was told the book needed to be published and ready in time for the 2022 National Rural Health Conference at the end of March.

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This is when Dr London says he came on the scene as a co-editor: “Jean came bouncing up to me, saying, ‘Martin I have wonderful news – we’re going to be editing a book.’”

The editorial team consists of Drs Ross and London and fellow editor Shelley Jones. They report once a month to an oversight board, which includes Dr Davidson and rural network chair Fiona Bolden, to ensure they are on the right track.

The main purpose of the book is to celebrate the network and its achievements since it was formed in 1992, says Dr London.

The book will begin in the 1970s with the lead-up to the creation of the rural network, before moving through the next 30 years to the present day.

It’s a celebratory piece, but it’s not just a trip down memory lane, says Dr London.

As well as successes, it also plans to look at “what didn’t work” - what the issues were then, and what they are now.

“I believe things are vastly better but some of the fundamental issues are still staring us in the face, problems of recruitment and retention.

“When it became harder to get GPs, we started to upskill our nurses, more nurse specialists and nurse practitioners, but there still isn’t enough of everyone – and now we have rural nurses who are stretched, just like rural GPs.”

Dr London says the book will also be a learning exercise in looking forward to the future of the network and Hauora Taiwhenua, and what can be done to “carry this campaign forwards”.

It will feature stories of the network’s original members, their spouses and children who were an integral part, former chairs, and memories of previous conferences, says Dr Ross.

The editorial team is also working closely with their Māori colleagues, practice nurses and managers, rural hospital doctors, and communities to help tell the story.

With the March deadline looming, the editorial team is clear on one aspect: they do not plan to go into great detail, says Dr London.

“You could write a 900-page novel on the history of rural health in New Zealand,” he laughs.

The editorial team is on the hunt for contributions from anyone who has been involved with the Rural General Practice Network over the past 30 or more years, including their colleagues and politicians.

Either complete the form https://rgpn.infoodle.com/form_process?g=6df7ad55-8f3c-46fe-aec1-9bd46b66259a or contact one of the editorial team members Martin London (londonz@xtra.co.nz), Jean Ross (JeanR@op.ac.nz) or Shelley Jones (shelley@learn-ability.co.nz).