New health minister hears rural health’s big issues

New health minister hears rural health’s big issues

Key rural health priorities and issues were on the agenda when New Zealand Rural General Practice Network leaders met with new health minister Jonathan Coleman this week.

Network chair Dr Jo Scott-Jones and deputy chair Sharon Hansen discussed a range of topics with Dr Coleman during an hour-long meeting at Parliament on Wednesday (November 26).

On the agenda were some familiar and fresh topics including an ageing GP workforce and issues of recruitment and retention, technology and alliancing.

“Rural general practice faces some ongoing challenges including critical workforce shortages, an ageing workforce, workforce retention and recruitment, onerous after-hours responsibilities and isolation.

Also discussed were rural health’s other major priorities for the next three years including expanding the Voluntary Bonding Scheme, developing rural training pathways, mental health, collecting rural-specific data to assist health outcomes for rural communities, rural broadband and re-emphasising the importance of Rural Advisory Groups (RAG) .

The need for good quality broadband and social connections in rural areas has a huge impact on recruitment and retention of rural workforce,” said Dr Scott-Jones.

“It was great to have the opportunity to meet with Dr Coleman and to add some personal contact to what he already knew about the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network.

The Network is unique in that it provides a link into the majority of rural general practices around the country, a strong relationship between the minister and these constituents is important.

“Issues of access to care, rurally focussed training, workforce pressures, rural proofing and measuring health outcomes for rural people were touched on in our discussion. Rural health issues are important to Minister Coleman and it was great to hear he will be looking after this part of the portfolio himself.”

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