Whangārei Hospital spends $100K sending ED patients to private clinic

NZ Herald

5 days ago

But one emergency doctor, Dr Gary Payinda, said the vouchers use taxpayer money on a private, for-profit clinic and would be better spent in the hospital.
'Why can't that money be used within the public sector to pay for nurses and nurse practitioners and doctors to care for patients directly ... instead of losing 10 to 20% on profits?'
Payinda roughly calculated the money would pay for a nurse practitioner to work 28 hours a week, seeing between 2500 and 3680 patients a year.
The use of vouchers shows Northlanders cannot afford to pay for private urgent care, which is 'really tragic', he said.
The coalition Government is putting more money into private urgent care, including a $164 million investment over four years announced in Budget 2025.
But Payinda said this model still relies on people being able to pay, which is not sustainable in Northland.
Fees for the new urgent care services are still being worked out but a new virtual GP service will cost adults $25 to $33 with a community services card, or $69 to $99 without a card.
Alex Pimm, group director of operations for Health NZ Te Tai Tokerau, said the vouchers are offered to people presenting at ED who are assessed to have a medical condition that can be appropriately managed in an urgent care clinic.
Patients are given the option of going to the clinic or waiting to be seen at the ED and get a reminder message if they take the voucher but do not attend the clinic.
A 2018 review in Auckland's Waitematā showed the voucher system had a positive impact on EDs by transferring lower-acuity patients to appropriate primary care, he said.
Economic analysis found it was cost-effective but Health NZ will be reviewing the voucher system in the next financial year, to reassess value for money and identify any improvements, Pimm said.
Whangārei Hospital is 'very busy' at this time of year, with winter illnesses putting extra pressure on all EDs, he said.
However, Pimm would not detail the current occupancy rate at Northland's EDs, instead saying people needing urgent hospital-level care will 'always be able to receive it'.
Health NZ group director Alex Pimm and Health Minister Simeon Brown, pictured at Whangārei Hospital, say new urgent care funding will result in more consistent fees.
Health Minister Simeon Brown, when asked how the unaffordability of urgent care will be addressed, said fees will become more consistent as part of the Budget 2025 announcement.
'Health New Zealand will negotiate with providers in areas where improved urgent care has been identified to ensure services are in place – with a clearer fee structure as part of that work.'
Whangārei has been identified as needing a new 24/7 urgent care service from 2026, building on the urgent care already available, he said.
Extended after-hours services have been identified as needed in Dargaville, Hokianga, and Kaitāia, and enhanced rural urgent care has been identified for Mangawhai, Kawakawa, Kaikohe and Waipapa, he said.
Urgent and after-hours care will also be strengthened in Russell and Kāeo, Brown said.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.