Leading healthcare provider, ProCare, has today welcomed the Health Minister’s announcement around the funding uplift for primary care, as the sector has been underfunded for a number of years now.
Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at ProCare says: “There is a significant need to invest in primary care, in order to keep people well, out of hospital, and at the same time, help improve the financial sustainability of general practices.
The costs of doing business have outstripped any increases in capitation, and a significant number of practices are struggling to meet the rising costs of supporting their patients, meeting population health needs and providing a service to their local communities.
“An additional $95 million per year, over the next three years, is an excellent start to helping practices who have been struggling. However, we will be very keen to understand what the ‘pre conditions’ and ‘key targets’ are the Minister alludes to in his announcement,” Norwell continues.
In terms of the workforce development announcement, the initiatives will help to ease some of the workforce pressures the sector has been facing.
“We’re around 600 GPs short in New Zealand at the moment, so an additional 100 GPs will certainly help ease wait times and pressure on burnt out GPs. Having experienced GPs driving taxis or Ubers while they wait to be qualified in Aotearoa is as frustrating for those individuals as it is for those desperate to welcome them into their practices.
“Having more nurses will certainly help practices, but we need to ensure that they are receiving the same remuneration as their hospital counterparts, otherwise, we will continue to have the same problems we have today,” points out Norwell.
Commenting on the digital consultation service, ProCare warmly welcomes the announcement, but is keen to see further details.
“On the face of it, a 24/7 service to support New Zealanders see a GP in a timely manner sounds amazing, and it will certainly help ease the pressure on hospitals,” says Norwell.
“However, as with anything, the devil is in the detail. We do have a number of questions that we would like answered in due course - what will the cost to patients be, who will be providing the service, and what does ‘subsidised’ consults look like?” she continues.
“We are meeting with the Minister in a few weeks’ time, so will look forward to whatever updated information we are able to provide our members with,” concludes Norwell.
