Large Hastings medical centre Hauora Heretaunga to cut enrolled patients by half

That organisation says a sudden increase in disenrolled patients “will put pressure on other practices”.

Hauora Heretaunga has about 6000 enrolled patients and is run by Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga (TToH), a Māori-led health and social services provider.

TToH has begun identifying the 3000 patients affected, and will begin transitioning whānau to other GPs, a statement released on Wednesday read.

In the statement, TToH chairman Mike Paku called for urgent Government support to sustain kaupapa Māori GP clinics.

“Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga has had to make the very difficult decision to transition half of our enrolled whānau to other GP providers,” Paku said.

“This decision has been made to protect the health and safety of our whānau, first and foremost, while also ensuring we can support the workload and wellbeing of our GPs, nurses, and support within Hauora Heretaunga.

“Where possible, we will work to ensure whānau members transitioning to another GP practice are able to stay together.”

Paku said central Government and its agencies needed to provide more funding, resources and support for Māori GP clinics.

“We operate in a unique ecosystem.

“We are not-for-profit providers caring for a high proportion of whānau with acute and complex health needs.”

TToH said despite a recruitment drive, it had been unable to secure the staffing levels needed “to sustain a safe clinical practice”.

It noted there was a severe shortage of GPs across Aotearoa.

“We are grateful to the medical community, who have stepped up – not only by offering clinical advice, but also practical support to help ensure continuity of care for whānau."

Paku said he acknowledged the situation would be disruptive and distressing for many whānau.

“For that we are deeply sorry. This decision has been made with their health, safety and wellbeing at the centre.

“We want to assure whānau that Te Taiwhenua will be there to awhi them every step of the way.”

Royal NZ College of General Practitioners president Dr Luke Bradford said, nationally, there were a lot of clinics that were not taking on new enrolments, as they could not recruit more staff.

However, he said it was rare to disenroll patients.

“It’s not very common for practices to make the decision to disenroll patients, I’ve not heard of it before, but certainly there are clinics where they are struggling for staff.”

He said, in some cases, such as in rural areas, a practice may rely on nurse assistants and telehealth services (meaning over the phone or video calls with a doctor) while they don’t have a GP available.

He said a sudden increase of 3000 patients in a regional city would “put pressure on other practices”.

He said there was a shortage of GPs nationally.

He said work being done to help increase the number of GPs included Waikato’s new school of medicine, of which Hawke’s Bay is set to benefit as one of five regions training medical students.

Other positive steps include an international recruitment campaign, and better funding to help with training, Bradford said.

However, he said an area of focus, that needed to be better addressed, was enticing more medical students toward GP work.

At present, after a medical student completes their university studies, then two years of supervised work in a hospital, they can choose to pursue GP work and training.

“We have a drop in percentage of medical students choosing general practice,” he said.

“It used to be 50% and it is now down to around 25%.

“That is purely down to terms and conditions, the hospital contract is more attractive.”

He said until GP work was “valued on a par with other medical specialties” with a contract similar to hospitals “we are going to struggle”.

Health NZ and the Ministry of Health have been approached for comment.