Dr Lynda Scott
National Health spokeswoman

19 February 2004

Doctors have no confidence in PHO's

The Government must start listening to concerns by frontline doctors and nurses over its failing PHO policy, says National's Health spokeswoman Dr Lynda Scott.

Recent survey results from the medical practitioner research programme, DR-ORG, show that less than 10% of the 300 doctors surveyed believe the Government's Primary Health Organisations will improve patient care.

"Doctors and nurses are the ones who know what is going on and they are telling us PHO's and Labour's race-based funding formula are not working," says Dr Scott.

"To qualify for extra funding and cheaper doctors' visits an area needs at least 50% of its residents to be Maori, Pacific Island or in the low socio-economic group.

"The formula is failing areas desperately in need of increased primary care and alternative delivery services. They are not getting it because they have the wrong demographic statistics.

"And while these people miss out, precious health dollars are being sucked up by the burgeoning bureaucracy of PHO's," says Dr Scott.

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