Friday, Feb 27, 2015
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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
Porkers step up training as Mayfield show nears FULL STORY
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February 27, 2015
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Weekend open homes in the Ashburton district
Mid Canty must find more doctors BY SUE NEWMAN
SUE.N@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
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One of the biggest inhibitors to population growth in the Ashburton District would be a shortage of GPs, Grow Mid Canterbury chief executive Rob Brawley said. The district’s GPs were already under pressure from high patient numbers, with some closing their books, making it difficult for new arrivals to access primary health care. But on virtually every other front, the district would be able to cater to a rapidly increasing population, Mr Brawley said. “We’ll have to find a lot more doctors and I believe a lot more work
needs to be done by the Government on the doctor’s bonding scheme, we need to be part of that.” The scheme currently applies to about 12 communities and health board areas generally classified as rural, including South Canterbury, but Ashburton is not on the list. “It seems we’re rural when it suits and not rural when it suits.” General practitioner Howard Wilson has worked regularly in Ashburton District as a locum and knows the pressure the district’s general practitioners are under, particularly the onerous on-call responsibilities that came at weekends, where one GP
sees upwards of 40 patients a day. As clinical lead for a group charged with ensuring rural practice sustainability in Canterbury, Dr Wilson said Ashburton’s problem was well recognised and he’s confident solutions would be found by working with GPs and the community. Ashburton’s shortage was mirrored in other rural areas and the sustainability group was well down the track in finding solutions in Kaikoura and Hurunui, he said.
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