Some GPs booked out

While we might be on the other side of one of ‘‘the worst’’ winters in recent memory, some general practices are still swamped with patients and some individual doctors are booked up until November.

Late last week Stuff contacted or attempted to book an appointment online at 25 GP clinics in Auckland, Waikato, Wellington and Christchurch. While some had same-day or next-day appointments, most reported a wait of two to three weeks before the next available appointment.

Even as flu rates decrease and community Covid-19 cases track down, general practices remain busy – amid a shortage of doctors and a workforce in ‘‘crisis’’.

At the end of September, one central Auckland practice with seven GPs did not have any appointments available until October 6, and two GPs were fully booked until November 2 and 23, respectively. A north Auckland GP clinic’s online booking system showed two of six GPs had sameday appointments available, but one doctor was not available until October 21.

One Hamilton doctors’ surgery said it was ‘‘lucky’’ to have space for same-day or next-day appointments in the past couple weeks, and ‘‘scattered’’ availability this week. A Huntly practice website showed, of two GPs, one was next available on October 7 and the other was not free until October 10. AWellington clinic was ‘‘super busy’’ – booked solid until October 14.

Another, with 14 doctors, showed the next available appointment was on October 10, while some of its GPs were booked out until October 24, 31, and one through to November 4.

A Christchurch clinic had one available appointment on Friday just gone, but was then booked solid until October 11 – with some