Plan Needed To Strengthen Health Care Strategy

Implementation Plan Needed To Strengthen Health Care Strategy

The IPA (Independent Practitioner Association) Council of New Zealand said that the Government’s Primary Health Care Strategy, had good intentions but may be compromised if a clear implementation plan wasn’t developed in parallel.

“The strategy is consistent with the aims and aspirations of IPAs. We support the direction of this strategy and it would be unfortunate to see it fall over for lack of sound implementation planning,” said IPA Council CEO Victor Klap.

Mr Klap said the Council was heartened to see the strategy’s focus on patients and Government’s commitment to put more funding into improving care for patients.

“We are pleased that the strategy recognises the significant progress that primary care organisations, such as IPAs, have made over the last 5-10 years, and we are confident that our members are well positioned to take up the opportunity provided by the strategy,” he said.

The IPA Council is a national body that represents 15 IPAs based throughout New Zealand. The IPAs in turn provide a range of primary care services. The IPA network has over 730 community-based practices, attended by some 1,800 general practitioners and over 2,000 practice nurses.

Each year, an estimated two and a half million New Zealanders seek health services and advice from these IPA Council member practices, their practitioners and team of support staff.

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