Tentative Potential from the National Party

Tentative Potential from the National Party

Need for appropriate focus to fresh thinking on health issues

The New Zealand Medical Students’ Association welcomes many of the National Party’s initiatives in the National Party’s Health Discussion Paper released yesterday.

Commitments to investigate the role of debt relief and attractive tax schemes for new medical graduates could play a significant role in easing the workforce crisis. “This kind of thinking, if appropriately executed, is just what the sector needs to start improving the poor retention rates of junior doctors,” says NZMSA President Mr Nick Fancourt.

“But New Zealand needs to be cautious of the suggestion of bonding schemes in medical training,” says Mr Fancourt. Such schemes place unfair pressure on young students, do little to address workforce shortages and cannot solve significant shortcomings in particular specialties such as General Practice.

“Our impression from the Australian bonding schemes has been particularly negative and we would caution any similar moves in this country,” noted Mr Fancourt

Support for increasing funded medical student places, more rurally based education programs, flexible postgraduate training, and a dedicated focus on the medical profession were also positive measures in the discussion document.

“We look forward to talking with the National Party to feedback on the possible details of the ideas presented in this paper,” says Mr Fancourt.

ENDS

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