Doctor shortage continues in Turangi

Turangi's doctor shortage shows no signs of lessening, with the town's two remaining GPs struggling to cope.

Tongariro Community Charitable Health Trust chairman Mike Wilson said the situation "was not ideal".

Of the town's four doctors, two resigned and a third threatened to leave if more were not hired.

The town's two remaining GPs, Vaughan Leigh and Frank Liaw, are struggling to cope and there are delays for patients looking for non-urgent appointments.

Mr Wilson said the trust and Lakes District Health Board had spent several thousand dollars on advertising but although the position was attractive, no New Zealand doctors were interested in moving to the town and the trust was using recruitment agencies to search overseas.