Guy Runs Productive Health Meeting
Otaki MP Nathan Guy says there is a huge amount of work going on behind the scenes to attract doctors to Horowhenua and Kapiti.
Mr Guy called a stakeholder meeting last week to clarify who was doing what and what more could be done to resolve ongoing doctor shortages in the districts.
“As the local MP, I obviously wanted to know what more the Government could do to support the local initiatives. I can say there is a lot going on by all sectors to address this situation and there are no short term easy answers.”
Mr Guy says the National Government has already made some positive changes.
“We’ve moved to correct the imbalance that was allowed to occur under the previous Government, where we have been the biggest exporter of New Zealand-trained doctors and the biggest importer of overseas-trained doctors.”
He says from next year (2010) the Government will increase the number of medical student places by 200 over a five year period.
“We’re also increasing the number of GP registrar training places by 25 this year and another 25 in 2010, bringing the total to 154 funded GP training places and this will help to create more rural training places and sites.
“Most people have also heard of our voluntary bonding programme encouraging medical graduates to work in ‘hard to staff’ hospitals for two years before we can then ‘bond’ them into Horowhenua and Kapiti. In return they get $10,000 each year to help them pay off their student loans faster.”
He says the bonding scheme will be reviewed next year and will be responsive to changing gaps in communities.
“There will be a lag effect for these positive changes to kick in for our community and so we will remain reliant in the short term on existing doctors and locums to fill any shortfalls,” Mr Guy says.
“The meeting did raise some areas needing consideration, like foreign doctors experiencing delays wanting to practice in New Zealand.
“I will be raising this issue directly with the Minister of Health”.