Rural hubs suggested to relieve health crisis
WELLINGTON: Candidates from across the political spectrum have gone headtohead in a debate over their rural health priorities.
The online debate, organised in partnership with Mobile Health and New Zealand Rural General Practice Network (NZRGPN), noted three areas of concern — long waiting times for appointments to see health professionals; struggling to afford the costs of time and travel to manage health; and little to no access to specialist mental health and addiction services.
Chief executive Grant Davidson started the debate by saying rural health was in a crisis which needed addressing.
‘‘There is a crisis in outcomes. Rural people just aren’t getting the same outcomes as people in the city,’’ Dr Davidson said.
Dr Davidson said political parties needed a plan for now, not 10 years away.
Labour health spokesman Chris Hipkins told the webinar many of the rural health issues were the same as affected rural education.
He said an ageing workforce was just one of many rural health community problems.
Mr Hipkins said Labour and the current government was planning for this but it went on hold due to Covid19.
‘‘[The] Labour Party is committed to the idea of rural health regional hubs in order to upskill and increase the rural health workforce ,’’ he said.
National health spokesman Shane Reti acknowledged the ageing workforce issue but said getting a workforce into rural areas, and getting workers to stay there, was a problem.
Dr Reti said National would commit to building a third rural medical school.
‘‘It would be focused at retaining GPs in rural environment. We know if you train and develop social networks in rural environment, you are much more likely to stay there.’’
New Zealand First health spokeswoman Jenny Marcroft said her party recognised rural health inequalities and distances to access health care were a significant challenge.
‘‘We would like to have a conversation about how could we establish a funding mechanism to significantly expand the mobile health system . . . [to] bring specialists and specialists services to those people in rural area who have the longest distances to travel.’’
Green Party health spokeswoman Julie Anne Genter deferred most questions and said her party’s ‘‘progressive’’ tax policy was needed to pay for health system improvements. — RNZ