New Zealand’s General Practice Owners Association, GenPro, welcomes an increase in urgent care funding in Whangarei for under 14-year old’s in response to growing demand and historic funding shortfalls.

GenPro chair, Dr Angus Chambers, believes the situation in Whangarei is symptomatic of a country-wide crisis which is directly affecting patient care. “Urgent Care centres across the Motu continue to see increasing pressure as the demand on General Practice teams increases; the recent service cuts by White Cross in Northland highlights the inadequate funding to support this growing demand”, he says.

While GenPro applauds the additional funding from Te Whatu Ora, it emphasizes that the problem is nationwide, with urgent care providers experiencing unprecedented demand in many areas. Many urgent care centres are having to reduce service levels at a time when their patient services are needed more than ever, and timely access is increasingly difficult to provide.

GenPro is concerned that the latest localised funding will further contribute to inequity within the health system; a system that is undeniably under constant pressure.

GenPro is seeking a system wide approach to ensuring that funding for urgent care is nationally consistent, meets the needs of the communities to ensure accessible, high-quality care. “We need to ensure that one off offers of funding do not perpetuate the postcode lottery that the health reforms are aiming to remove”, says Dr Chambers.

The government’s delayed review of after-hours service is needed now, and GenPro would like to work in partnership with its members, providers and funders to create a solution that provides for accessible, viable and sustainable provision of urgent care services that meet the needs of all communities.