Survey reveals concern about the cost of GP visits

Survey reveals concern about the cost of GP visits

Almost half those asked in a recent nationwide health survey believe the cost of a visit to their general practitioner had gone up in the past five years.

And more than half expect the cost of a visit to the doctor to keep increasing.

The results come on the back of debate about the cost of GP visits following the release of a National Party discussion document yesterday.

Concern about the cost of GP visits was revealed in a survey carried out this month by the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development.

The survey questioned over 700 people nationwide on their attitudes to the aspects of the health service.

It revealed 46 percent of those asked felt the cost of visiting their GP had increased over the past five years.

And 56 percent expected the costs to go up in the next five years.

Forty four percent also felt negative about what they were currently paying to visit their GP.

The survey revealed widespread concern about the performance of the health system with two in three of those questioned believing the health system was inefficient. The results will be discussed at the Business Council's Business Budget Summit 2007 at Wellington on November 1. Eighty chief executives and the Minister of Finance will discuss long term solutions to major issues like affording health care, overcoming skills shortages and personal taxation reform.

The full health survey results and commentary can be found at http://www.budgetsummit.org.nz

ENDS

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