![\"Doctor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4M1XP8B_image_crop_132803.jpeg\")
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\nPhoto: 123RF\n<\/p>\n
The boss of a health organisation believes a rural equivalent of Tinder targeted at health professionals could be the key to solving the doctor shortages in rural communities.<\/p>\n
A Royal College of GP workforce survey in 2024 found 35 percent of rural GPs and 21 percent of rural hospital doctors intended on retiring in within five years.<\/p>\n
There’s a shortfall of at least 130 rural GPs nationwide.<\/p>\n
Federated Farmers, Rural Women and the Rural Health Network are backing the Golden Key, a project to attract health professionals to rural areas.<\/p>\n
Its secret weapon is a well-organised welcoming committee and match-making could be the next step, according to Mark Eager, who is CEO of Mobile Health Group and on the board of Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network.<\/p>\n
Eager told Checkpoint there was one commonality that keeps people in rural areas.<\/p>\n
“You can recruit as much as you want, you can do a whole lot of things, but there’s got to be a connection with the town,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Love and sex seem to go hand in hand, and it keeps people grounded in rural areas.”<\/p>\n
Eager wants an app, similar to Tinder, to help doctors find their perfect match in rural towns.<\/p>\n
“I’ve been speaking with Health New Zealand about it, but for some reason, they’re not keen. But I am sure we could get reasonably entrepreneurial about this and make that work because it would help.”<\/p>\n