Latest news with #RoyalNewZealandCollegeofGeneralPractitioners
NZ Herald
05-08-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Tauranga's Dr Andrew Corin awarded service medal by Royal NZ College of GPs
Corin said he did a science degree before going to medical school. He found what 'filled my tank the most' was developing relationships with patients over long periods. 'The only way to really do that in an enduring and meaningful way is in primary care.' The GP at Family Doctors Brookfield has worked in primary care in Tauranga since 1997. Last month, Corin was one of four Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners fellows awarded a President's Service Medal at its annual fellowship and awards ceremony in Christchurch. The President's Service Medal recognises outstanding contributions to the college or the division of rural hospital medicine. Corin said it was 'gratifying' to be acknowledged for work that often went unacknowledged. He taught registrars in the college's GP training programme and mentored junior doctors, including international graduates. Tauranga doctor Andrew Corin (right) was one of four Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners fellows awarded a President's Service Medal at its annual fellowship and awards ceremony in Christchurch on July 26. Corin is pictured with college president Dr Luke Bradford - also a Tauranga GP. Photo / Smoke Photography Corin said this work was 'critical' to help address the 'workforce crisis'. 'That's an area of work that a lot of us do - investing in the next generation of doctors.' He found it 'very professionally fulfilling' to engage with his younger colleagues and learn from them, while also imparting his wisdom and experience. 'It does also take time away from looking after the patients … we often will do a lot of this training and mentoring work on top of already very busy clinics.' In 2007, Corin established independent research organisation Clinical Horizons NZ, through which he had been 'instrumental' in changing the way certain conditions were treated. Corin told NZME last year he found his work-life balance by establishing and maintaining an avocado orchard, which had been going well. 'I've planted reed avocados most recently in addition to the hass avocados ... just to add some resilience to the orchard in case one variety struggles a bit.' Corin wrote an award-winning book This Old Stick - a collection of short fictional stories about older people and their relationships with their GP. He wanted to celebrate older people and their wisdom, experience and nurture. 'I think oftentimes they're marginalised, they're seen as a burden … or they don't have much to contribute, and I think that's a tragedy.' He also wrote a second award-winning book, Today in Paradise ― a historical fiction novel. 'Along with my medical work and my research work and my avocadoes, the writing adds a very important balance to my life. 'It's another passion that I have that keeps my creative side engaged alongside my scientific side.' Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.
Scoop
01-08-2025
- Health
- Scoop
College Of GPs Workforce Survey Shows Optimistic Changes, But Still More To Be Done To Address Core Challenges
As the healthcare landscape shifts to meet the changing needs of patient populations, understanding the broader context and the importance of the general practice and rural hospital medicine workforces becomes more important than ever. Every two years The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners undertakes its Workforce Survey to gain insight into how our members who work in (or are training towards) general practice and rural hospital medicine feel about their vocations, the environments they work in and their place in the sector. A snapshot report on key findings has been released and was shared with members in a plenary session by College President Dr Luke Bradford last week at GP25: Conference for General Practice. Dr Bradford says, "The majority of the findings aren't new or surprising. They add to the wealth of evidence we already have and emphasise the need for swifter action and bold reform while providing fresh insights into the distinctive and evolving nature of general practice and rural hospital medicine. "We acknowledge the recent funding announcements from the Minister and are optimistic that the additional funding for our GP training programme will encourage more medical graduates into the workforce now the financial barriers have been removed. "I'm heartened to see improvements since the 2022 survey on those who would recommend general practice and rural hospital medicine as careers. Responses show a workforce who value the personal connections with patients, the intellectual stimulation spurred by the variety and complexity of cases that allow them to use their full skillset and knowledge base alongside the ability to make a tangible difference to patients' lives. "There are, however, some concerning results around retirement, reduction in hours and intentions to leave New Zealand." Within the next five years 35% of GP and 21% of rural hospital doctor respondents intend to retire and 35% of 30-34-year-old GP respondents are considering leaving New Zealand, with 15% intending to leave. "The College will continue to address these challenges, because as well as growing the workforce, retaining the current workforce - those who train the trainees - must be a priority." Survey findings show our members as being nimble and innovative. They continue to show resilience and have a deep commitment to their patients. But they are vocal about the challenges of navigating a health system that doesn't recognise the value of their specialism, the workforce shortages and working within a model of care that isn't adapting quickly enough to keep up with patient or workforce need. Key findings tell us that: 43% of GP respondents were likely to recommend a career in general practice. This has increased from 39% in the 2022 Workforce Survey but is still below the 54% in the 2020 survey. 76% of rural hospital doctor respondents were likely to recommend a career in rural hospital medicine. Burnout levels amongst general practice and rural hospital doctors, while still unacceptably high, have improved since the 2022 Workforce Survey. In 2024, 38% of GP respondents and 26% of rural hospital doctor respondents rated themselves as highly burnt-out, compared to 48% (GPs) and 49% (rural hospital doctors) in 2022. New roles and skillsets are being welcomed into our multi-disciplinary teams to address patients' physical, mental, social and holistic needs. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies are being carefully incorporated into daily work to reduce some of the administrative burden that comes from managing such diverse patient loads, but concerns around data privacy, Māori data sovereignty and system integration are top of mind. This snapshot is the first in a series of reports from the 2024 Workforce Survey data.
RNZ News
25-07-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Doctors welcome health minister's GP training funding shake-up
Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners president Dr Samantha Murton. Photo: Supplied Doctors are welcoming the government's move to fully fund specialist GP training. Previously, medical graduates only had their first year of specialist general practitioner training paid for, but now all three years would be covered. The government would also cover the exam costs for about 200 trainees, and full education costs for about 400 year 2 and 3 trainees each year. President of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners - which delivers the 'General Practice Education Programme' - Dr Samantha Murton, said the changes brought GP training in line with all other medical training across New Zealand and Australia. "This funding will be a gamechanger for current and future trainees. This is a significant acknowledgement for the specialism of the general practice workforce and the vital role we play in healthcare being as important as those of our peers in secondary hospital settings. "Not only will this funding offer the necessary financial support our GP registrars need throughout their training, but we are optimistic that the news will encourage medical graduates who have an interest in general practice but have been put off by the financial barriers to make the step to train as a specialist GP. To them, I say welcome and you won't regret your decision." Chief executive Toby Beaglehole said the college was enthusiastic that primary care funding was heading in the right direction. "We are focused on building a sustainable workforce for the future , which starts with training and the equitability of our program costs to other specialist medical training. "This funding sends a signal to the sector that the expertise of general practice is valued as a vital part of the health system." Announcing the changes at a GP conference on Friday, Health Minister Simeon Brown said they would help improve New Zealanders' access to primary healthcare . Health Minister Simeon Brown. Photo: Calvin Samuel / RNZ He also announced the government's funding method for GP clinics, known as capitation, would be updated for the first time in more than 20 years, with changes taking effect from 1 July, 2026. "The current model is outdated and doesn't reflect the needs of patients. The revised formula will go beyond just age and sex, to also include multimorbidity, rurality , and socioeconomic deprivation," Brown said. "These changes will better distribute funding to where it's needed most, so that GP clinics with a higher needs population of enrolled patients will receive more funding to care for them." A new national health target would be developed with the primary care sector, proposing to ensure that more than 80 percent of people could see a primary care provider within one week. "People shouldn't have to wait weeks to see a doctor. Delays can lead to poorer health outcomes, more pressure on hospitals, and growing frustration for patients. We're focused on delivering timely, quality care that puts patients first." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
25-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
General Practice Training Programme To Be Fully Funded Is A Win For The Future Of The General Practice Workforce
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners welcomes the Minister of Health's announcement today at GP25: Conference for General Practice of significant additional funding for registrars across the General Practice Education Programme (GPEP). This announcement will go a long way to strengthen the training and grow the next generation of the specialist GP workforce, and includes: In 2025, training fees for doctors in their second, third, and post-third year of GPEP to encourage completion of their training. Fellowship assessment costs for around 200 GPEP trainees to enable them to complete their training and become Fellows. From 2026, full ongoing training and education costs for an estimated 400 GPEP year 2 and 3 trainees each year. Currently, GP registrars only have their first year of GPEP funded with the second and third years having to be self-funded. This funding approach is different to all the other medical training programmes (in New Zealand and Australasian medical colleges) that are fully funded for their entirety. College President Dr Samantha Murton says, "This funding will be a gamechanger for current and future trainees. This is a significant acknowledgement for the specialism of the general practice workforce and the vital role we play in healthcare being as important as those of our peers in secondary hospital settings. "Not only will this funding offer the necessary financial support our GP registrars need throughout their training, but we are optimistic that the news will encourage medical graduates who have an interest in general practice but have been put off by the financial barriers to make the step to train as a specialist GP. To them, I say welcome and you won't regret your decision. The College has been a strong and vocal advocate for the current and future general practice workforce and is enthusiastic that the funding for primary care is heading in the right direction to ensure that it is sustainable. College Chief Executive Toby Beaglehole says, "We are focused on building a sustainable workforce for the future, which starts with training and the equitability of our program costs to other specialist medical training. "This funding sends a signal to the sector that the expertise of general practice is valued as a vital part of the health system. We are very grateful to the Minister for his recognition of the importance of primary care training to deliver healthier patients. "This funding will also help reduce costs to the rural GP workforce who support communities that need more specialist GPs as soon as possible." The Government has also announced that capitation funding reweighting will be introduced from 1 July 2026. The College acknowledges that reweighting capitation funding will focus on the distribution of funding across general practice, so that practices with a higher needs population of enrolled patients will receive more funding to care for them. Dr Murton says "We also welcome the changes to the capitation funding formula to include multimorbidity, rurality, and deprivation as factors. It is key, as the Minister has mentioned in his speech today, that these factors are regularly reviewed to meet the ongoing patient needs of the primary health care system." The Ministry of Health with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora will review capitation reweighting every five years, with the first review in 2028 so that it remains fit for purpose. College Chief Executive, Toby Beaglehole says "I'd like to acknowledge Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora and the Minister for their support of our advocacy and their willingness to work with the College to better fund the future of our primary care workforce in New Zealand. Today is a massive win for putting patients first, and as the Minister said a first step in delivering a sustainable primary care workforce for general practice and rural hospital medicine."
Scoop
24-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Strengthening Primary Care To Better Meet Patient Needs
Minister of Health The Government is taking further action to ensure Kiwis can see a doctor, focusing on improved funding for rural practices, faster access to primary care, and a stronger pipeline of locally trained GPs, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. Updating GP funding to better reflect patient needs Setting a new health target for faster GP access Backing GP training and retention 'We want all New Zealanders to be able to see a GP when they need one, regardless of where they live,' Mr Brown says. 'In rural areas especially, GP clinics with only one doctor or closed books makes it harder for patients to get timely appointments. We're committed to changing that. 'The health system should reflect the needs of patients, wherever they live in New Zealand. That's why we're making changes to the way GP clinics are funded to ensure money goes where it's needed most.' The government's funding method for GP clinics, known as capitation, will be updated for the first time in more than 20 years. This is proposed to take effect from 1 July 2026. 'The current model is outdated and doesn't reflect the needs of patients. The revised formula will go beyond just age and sex, to also include multimorbidity, rurality, and socioeconomic deprivation. 'These changes will better distribute funding to where it's needed most, so that GP clinics with a higher needs population of enrolled patients will receive more funding to care for them.' The Government is also introducing a new national health target to drive timely access to primary care. 'People shouldn't have to wait weeks to see a doctor. Delays can lead to poorer health outcomes, more pressure on hospitals, and growing frustration for patients. We're focused on delivering timely, quality care that puts patients first.' 'This new target will be developed in partnership with the primary care sector and is proposed to ensure that more than 80 per cent of people can see a primary care provider within one week, taking effect from 1 July 2026. It will take effect from 1 July 2026 and aligns with the target of ensuring 80 percent of people receive faster access to primary mental health and addiction services within one week.' The Government is also making targeted investments in general practice training to strengthen the GP workforce and support long-term retention. 'The General Practice Education Programme (GPEP), delivered by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, is the only accredited training and education pathway in New Zealand for doctors wanting to specialise as GPs. Vocational training through GPEP takes a minimum of three years to complete, but currently only the first year of training is funded. 'We are increasing funding for this programme to ensure it is valued and supported in the same way as other medical specialist training programmes.' As part of this investment, the Government is funding: Training fees in 2025 for doctors in their second, third, and post-third year of GPEP to encourage completion of their training Exam and preparation costs for around 200 GPEP trainees who have completed, or nearly completed, training but not yet taken the fellowship exam Full ongoing training and education costs for approximately 400 GPEP year 2 and 3 trainees each year 'Our goal is to make general practice a more attractive and sustainable career path, especially in rural and high-needs communities, so we can bring more doctors into the areas that need them most. 'By fully covering training and exam costs, we'll enable hundreds of doctors to complete the pathway to becoming GPs, giving them the support they need to finish their training and enter the health workforce – building a stronger pipeline of experienced GPs who can train and mentor the next generation. 'This Government knows that primary care is the cornerstone of the health system, which is why we're committed to making it more accessible and responsive to the unique needs of communities. 'Improving access, particularly in rural and underserved areas, will help ease pressure on hospitals and ensure New Zealanders get timely, quality care when and where they need it,' Mr Brown says.
