People looking to find a GP in Nelson-Tasman could be out of luck, with the region in need of at least 10 more doctors.
While the workforce is struggling to keep up with demand, the population is continuing to grow while “push back” from hospitals is adding to GPs’ workloads, a Nelson doctor says.
It comes as only six practices across the region are openly accepting new patients, according to Nelson Bays Primary Health.
In the organisation’s annual report, published this month, Dr Graham Loveridge warned that capacity in general practice was a “major cause for concern” in his clinical governance committee chairperson’s report.
At the end of June there were 109,604 people enroled with Nelson Bays Primary Health general practices, compared to 107,939 the previous year.
While the population was growing, the GP workforce wasn’t, and the region could easily use about 10 more GPs, Loveridge said.
“We have not really been able to increase the workforce, so there’s a whole lack of GPs throughout the country.”
Meanwhile, the organisation’s website shows that of 21 general practices, only six report that they’re taking new patients, while two are closed to enrolments. The rest are open for “limited” enrolments.
Loveridge said limited was often a tough bar to cross, and was restricted to people who lived close to a centre, already had family enroled, or had a pressing need, such as pregnancy.
“For anybody that’s got an existing GP, mostly the doors are going to be closed for transferring to another practice.”
MARTIN DE RUYTER/Stuff
Pressure from the outpatient service at Nelson Hospital was stretching the GP community further.
The ageing population was also adding to the pressure on GPs, as patients’ needs became more complex and required more appointments with age, he said.
That was being exacerbated by pressure on the hospital system flowing back to GPs, he said.
“The secondary care system is struggling. We have got a lot of folk who would have had surgery … who are not getting the surgery, and they end up having to be managed in general practice.”
That “push back” had been flagged with Te Whatu Ora, his chairperson’s report said.
“The Clinical Governance Committee lobbied to keep awareness that if the Outpatients Department is busy, so is general practice. The intent of this was to raise awareness in hospital settings that general practice is under pressure and the capacity to do more is limited.”
Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough interim chief medical officer Dr Steve Low said the workforce shortage was also being felt at the hospital.
As well as struggling to recruit for roles – Wairau Hospital’s emergency department had been operating two doctors short for at least six months – the locum workforce had also dried up, he said.
Progress was being made on clearing backlogs of patients waiting more than a year for some surgeries, but the pressure on the health system meant many people weren’t being seen.
“There’s such a big load of patients out there who would benefit from some kind of treatment or surgery, but because of the fact of what we have here in terms of staff and funding, the threshold to be accepted to be seen by a specialist is high.”
Sort your Christmas health needs early
With both general practice and the hospital system under pressure, doctors are urging people to sort their medical needs early and avoid the last minute rush.
Loveridge said many people waited until the week before Christmas to get prescription renewals and routine appointments, but they could be out of luck this year.
The same went for the period after Christmas, when GPs were only available for urgent matters as many went on leave for a well deserved break.
“Don’t expect to get your vaccinations or your skin check or discuss your achy knee over that time – that would be best left to when things are less pressured.”
The large influx of visitors to the region meant the Medical and Injury Centre and emergency department also got very busy through that time.
Getting things sorted early in December would mean you wouldn’t get caught short, he said.
“Make sure you don’t run out in the week before Christmas because the surgeries will be flat out.”
Low said it was a good idea to tick off a list of healthcare needs alongside the Christmas shopping and hosting checklists, he said.
That included things like routine checks, vaccinations and prescriptions.
If you did need care, think about the best place to get it and “leave ED for emergencies”.
Health Line and pharmacies were also available to offer assistance, he said.
PETER MEECHAM/THE PRESS
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