Latest news with #TobyBeaglehole
Scoop
25-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Budget 2025 Misses Opportunity To Give Primary Care A Leading Role In Addressing And Improving Healthcare In Aotearoa
The 2025 Budget has missed an important opportunity to recognise the value that the general practice and primary care workforce can have on improving the health outcomes of New Zealanders. The bulk of healthcare happens in the community by specialist GPs and primary care teams, not in the hospitals. Our workforce provides sustainable and patient-focused care that is cost effective and saves the sector money in the long-term. The lack of any immediate funding for general practice and primary care in the Budget announcement to implement solutions that will alleviate pressures both on our workforce and in hospitals and EDs will be felt by all New Zealanders who access our services. College Medical Director Dr Luke Bradford says, "The decision to extend prescription lengths from three- to 12-months is not something that the College sees as beneficial to improving health outcomes and health equity. "During the consultation process, the College supported a six-month prescription length for medically stable patients, and we reiterate that this is dependent on clinical suitability and discretion as well as consideration of the work that needs to be done by general practice teams to ensure that a patient remains monitored and safe on their prescribed medications. "The enhanced capitation funding commitment announced recently is still light on details and we await further information on both what will be required to get this funding and if this will result in an annual uplift in current capitation funding. We have, for many years, been significantly underfunded for the work that we do and look forward to receiving details on this Budget promise." College Chief Executive Toby Beaglehole says, "The College has welcomed recent announcements to improve access to GPs, rural hospital and primary care services as well as growing and retaining the workforce. What is missing is the funding to make this a reality such as a fully funded GP training programme, pay parity for primary care nurses and supporting current GPs who train the next generation. "Seeing the bulk of health funding again being put into secondary or hospital-based care, instead of reprioritised into primary care is frustrating, given the sheer volume of care that general practice and primary care teams provide to New Zealand's communities." Read the pre-Budget opinion editorial published in the NZ Herald from College President Dr Samantha Murton and Medical Director Dr Luke Bradford highlighting why investing in general practice and primary care is essential if we want to have healthy and thriving communities:
Scoop
29-04-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Hauora Taiwhenua Wins 21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference
Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network will host the 21st WONCA (World Organisation of Family Doctors) World Rural Health Conference in 2026. The successful conference bid was led by Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network with support from its Te Tiriti partners Te Rōpū Ārahi. Effective advocacy from Business Events Wellington and Tourism New Zealand Business Events, and endorsement from the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, General Practice New Zealand, the College of Nurses Aotearoa, the Mayor of Wellington and government ministries, led to a winning proposal. Toby Beaglehole, Chief Executive of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners said 'That as full members of WONCA, we were very happy to endorse Hauora Taiwhenua's bid to host the Rural WONCA 2026 Conference and believe that their dedication, expertise, and vision make them the ideal candidate for hosting this prestigious event here in Wellington.' Hauora Taiwhenua's bid was chosen over strong international competition, thanks to its focus on indigenous health frameworks, community-led health initiatives, and New Zealand's demonstrated commitment to rural health equity. Fiona Bolden, Chairperson of Hauora Taiwhenua, says: 'Hosting Rural WONCA 2026 in Wellington provides an unparalleled platform to highlight the innovative and community-driven strategies we've developed to support rural and Indigenous health. We will be working closely with our rural Māori members and health colleagues to share our success stories and extend this opportunity to our rural health peers across the South Pacific and other first nations peoples around the world, to join these conversations and learning opportunities; it's about fostering global conversations that drive equity and inclusivity in healthcare systems worldwide.' The relevance of this conference to New Zealand has never been greater, Bolden says, with increasing recognition of health disparities and the urgent need for culturally responsive care. The country's commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and the UN Sustainability Development Goals will provide robust conversations on shared learnings. Wellington, New Zealand's vibrant capital, was selected for its dynamic blend of cultural diversity, strong health sector partnerships, and its status as the political and healthcare hub of the country. Professor Alan Bruce Chater, Chair, Rural Wonca (Wonca Working Party on Rural Practice) tells us that 'Hosting the Rural Health Conference in New Zealand is a significant opportunity to enhance communication and networking among rural health professionals globally and importantly in New Zealand. With New Zealand coming into an election year and with Te Pae Rural Health Strategy in review the conference will be a valuable time to reset, foster collaborative thinking and share learnings'. This is the first time the global rural health conference for family doctors has been hosted by New Zealand, and we are very proud to be able to provide this unbeatable opportunity to our rural health community. The Conference runs from 10-13 April 2026, at Tākina, Wellington, New Zealand.
