Rural doctors in Rangitīkei and Ruapehu booked up for weeks

Rangitīkei Mayor Andy Watson says people are trying to visit a hospital for issues that should be sorted out at a GP level. Photo / 123rf

Patients in rural areas are facing weeks-long wait times for non-urgent appointments, as doctor shortages remain “a real concern”.

Taihape Rural Health Centre clinical service manager Ngawini Martin said they lost a general practitioner (GP) in March and finding cover was hard.

“Of course, we have acute slots, but for a routine appointment, you could be waiting three weeks.”

There were two GPs at the clinic, and for three days per week, there was only one GP staffing the clinic.

Martin said it undoubtedly put additional stress on the GPs trying to cope with patient demand.

Waimarino Health Centre GP John-Paul Schwartz said it could take two weeks to a month to secure an appointment, depending on the patient’s condition.

“Emergencies we can get to very quickly, but if it’s not an urgent problem, it takes longer. It’s not something you can wander up to and always get in on the day.

“We’re very busy, and from what I understand it takes almost a month to get an appointment here in Raetihi.

“There’s just not enough practitioners around, especially in the rural areas.”

Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners medical director Luke Bradford said there was increased pressure on rural practices.

“It’s multi-factorial - obviously, winter adds pressure because people get flus, there’s Covid-19 and RSV [respiratory syncytial virus], and it just puts more pressure on acute appointments.

“Traditionally, rural GP practices have found it harder to recruit workforce into their areas, so it is a priority issue.”

Rangitīkei Mayor Andy Watson said it was difficult to be able to secure a place on a doctor’s schedule in the Rangitīkei district.

“It’s a real concern.

“As a consequence, we see people trying to go to hospital for issues that should have been sorted out at a GP level.”

It was part of a national shortage that needed to be addressed, he said.

“The issue has been there for a very long time.

“I think the reforms that have been put in place by the Government, if they are successful - it’s not going to be an overnight thing.”

Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall recently announced the Government would fund 50 new places for medical students in 2024, but Bradford said the Government’s primary care initiatives needed to go further.

He said a third of the country’s GPs would retire in the next 10 years.

“We need to do more to help junior doctors to transition into rural practice.

“It’s not a quick fix. It takes 11-14 years to train a GP, and while we’re increasing training numbers, we also have to be looking to recruit abroad.”

Ruapehu Health clinical service manager Tracy Mitchell said the current wait time was seven to 10 days for a GP appointment that was not acute.

“We always leave some available appointments for urgent, on-the-day appointments.

“If it’s something that can be done by virtual appointment and is not needed to be done face-to-face, then our wait time is a lot less.”

Mitchell said there would be a second GP joining Ruapehu Health next week.

“Ideally, we would have more GPs available. For general practice across the nation, there just aren’t enough accessible appointments.

“Work needs to be done on retaining and attracting doctors in the first place.”

Bradford said patients should try to book routine appointments in advance.

“If you’re going to run out of your medicines and you’re due to have that conversation with your doctor, then book a couple of weeks out so you can be sure of having your appointment in place.”