The proposed arm would use multidisciplinary teams, employing specialist GPs alongside resident doctors training as GPs.<\/p>\n
Three Rivers Medical general manager Michelle Te Kira said she supported exploring a Health New Zealand primary care arm, but did not want it to create further barriers for patients.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t want another arm thinking they know what\u2019s best for our patients. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou know, we\u2019re the ones who know what to do with our 21,000 patients. So if we have to then go to another referral process outside of here, it\u2019s just putting up more barriers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you fragment the stages, they\u2019re not going to engage. Because they barely engage with us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Te Kira said Three Rivers had about 3500 disengaged patients three years ago and carried out a re-engagement programme by phoning them.<\/p>\n
The latest data showed about 1800 patients remained on the disengagement list.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy aren\u2019t they coming to us? Why aren\u2019t they seeking access? Some may not need it. Some just can\u2019t afford it, can\u2019t get here.<\/p>\n
\u201cFood comes first, money for petrol, getting to work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Te Kira said opening another arm would involve working in partnership with existing primary health organisations, not in competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot setting up duplicated services that we\u2019re already providing, because that just leads to confusion and patients getting h\u014dh\u0101 [annoyed].\u201d<\/p>\n
Three Rivers Medical has a three-to-four-week wait to see a GP.<\/p>\n
\u201cAccess is the biggest issue facing all of us\u201d<\/p>\n
Te Kira said the practice would like more health improvement practitioners, accessible counselling services, and a social worker.<\/p>\n
She said they also need four more GPs.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do we get a disengaged population into general practice, when, you know, if you ring to get an appointment, it\u2019s weeks out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s who these patients know, it\u2019s who they feel comfortable with, it\u2019s their trusted provider and we need to gain back their trust a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
City Medical general practitioner and co-director Jun Camero said the proposed model could help relieve pressure, but he did not believe it should be a long-term solution.<\/p>\n
Instead, he said primary care should be better funded and given a better reputation as a preferred specialty for medical students.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the only way we can rebuild the workforce of the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Camero said there had been a \u201cchronic underestimation of the value of primary care\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said the proposed primary care arms may not have the same level of expertise, efficiency and capacity as fully staffed expert-level GPs, such as City Medical, which employs six GPs who co-own the practice.<\/p>\n
City Medical has a one-to-two-week wait to see a GP and leaves room for acute patients.<\/p>\n
Much of primary health care involved prevention and educating patients, he said.<\/p>\n