Rural General Practice Network Appointment

26 November 2001

New Zealand Rural General Practice Network Appoints Executive Director

The issues facing rural general practices and their abilities to best service the needs of rural communities are being further addressed with the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network’s new position of Executive Director.

Network Chairperson Tim Malloy said Patricia McNeill was appointed to the position to establish a national locum support scheme and to further the network’s strategic objectives.

Ms McNeill was appointed to the role because of her skills in project management, advocacy, employee relations and strategic planning, particularly in the social services sector, he said.

Ms McNeill also has qualifications in health management and education. She will be based in Wellington.

Dr Malloy said it was particularly appropriate for Ms McNeill to be appointed at this time when issues surrounding support for, and keeping, staff in rural general practices were becoming increasingly well-known and publicly debated.

Her priority will be to attract locums to the scheme and, at the same time, identify the locum requirements of rural GPs.

ENDS

The New Zealand Rural General Practice Network has been an informal organisation for over 12 years. In 2000, it became an incorporated society and expanded to include practice nurses and practice managers. The Network’s primary focus is support of and advocacy for rural general practices.

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