| The Government has recently warned that New | | | | and metropolis areas for various reasons. As |
| Zealand faces a serious shortage of more than | | | | many training doctors are located within urban |
| 3,000 doctors within the next fifteen years. A | | | | environments, the centre for educational |
| recently released report indicated that there must | | | | institutions, they become dependent on the |
| be a refined focus to train more doctors and | | | | facilities made available to them in these settings. |
| increase incentives to keep medical professionals | | | | Additionally, friendships and family relationships |
| within the country. The Health Minister, Tony Ryall | | | | that have been nurtured in these environments |
| claimed that New Zealand is heavily reliant on | | | | make the move away to a rural urban that much |
| overseas trained doctors, the highest proportion | | | | harder. The lack of rural doctors and other |
| of any Western country, with suggestions that | | | | healthcare professionals appears to be the result, |
| senior doctors should be encouraged to stay on in | | | | in part, due to the lack rurally based students |
| the public system past the current retirement | | | | attending medical training, a lack of rural medical |
| age. | | | | role models and the inexperience of rural |
| It is especially noted, that due to the reliance on | | | | encounters they have. |
| farming and rural communities to support such | | | | Interviews conducted with rural and urban based |
| industry, that many rural areas are currently | | | | physicians have shown that rural, or 'country' |
| under-served. The National Party went so far as | | | | doctors today have a wider scope of knowledge |
| to say that New Zealand's health system could | | | | than their urban counterparts. In addition, it was |
| face the threat of collapse, especially in rural | | | | found that rural healthcare professionals have |
| areas, without the importation of suitably qualified | | | | closer interpersonal relationships with their |
| doctors from overseas to fill the vacant positions. | | | | patients, as they are part of the community they |
| In response to these claims, the party is | | | | live in. |
| advocating the development of initiatives such as | | | | In response to these concerns, the Government |
| encouraging District Health Boards to offer | | | | has initiated innovative schemes to increase the |
| student loan write-offs for those willing to work in | | | | number of GP training placements it funds each |
| hard-to-staff areas. | | | | year. It has also dedicated an additional $900,000 |
| This situation is not limited to New Zealand, with | | | | towards a scheme that aims to supervise |
| many countries globally experiencing the same | | | | immigrating doctors during their hospital intern |
| rural deficiencies in qualified doctors. Many small | | | | year. 'Ready for Work' is another scheme that |
| communities are experiencing shortages. Local | | | | aims to partner up overseas trained doctors with |
| doctors are often perceived to be overworked | | | | current practicing doctors and District Health |
| and have difficulties sourcing new staff members | | | | Boards to assist them in the development of new |
| as many younger doctors are reluctant to | | | | skills and aligning their skills and qualifications to the |
| relocate to rural areas. Many healthcare | | | | New Zealand standards. |
| professionals have a preference to live in urban | | | | |