{"id":14034,"date":"2025-06-24T05:50:14","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T17:50:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebuzz.apnanetwork.co.nz\/?p=14034"},"modified":"2025-06-24T05:50:14","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T17:50:14","slug":"gps-to-get-extra-funding-in-agreement-government-hopes-will-lead-to-faster-healthcare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thebuzz.apnanetwork.co.nz\/?p=14034","title":{"rendered":"GPs to get extra funding in agreement government hopes will lead to faster healthcare"},"content":{"rendered":"

General practitioners will get up to 13.89 percent more funding this year in a new agreement the government hopes will eventually lead to faster care.<\/p>\n

Health Minister Simeon Brown said the $175 million increase this year was the biggest – by more than double – since the current funding system began.<\/p>\n

GPs had been crying out for more funding saying their sector was in crisis and doctors were leaving.<\/p>\n

They were pleased to get a boost – but noted only some of them would be able to achieve the full 13.89 percent.<\/p>\n

GPs received government funding via a capitation system – money per patient in their practice – and had been in talks with the government over the funding announced on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

One of the negotiators, Christchurch GP and GenPro chair, Angus Chambers said the boost would help.<\/p>\n

\"GenPro<\/p>\n

Dr Angus Chambers was pleased with the boost.\u00a0<\/span>Photo:\u00a0Supplied<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

“We’re actually quite pleased. It’s a bit conditional so there will be some people who don’t do as well out of this as perhaps we need them to do but, in general, this is a reasonably significant investment, and greater than we’ve seen for some time.<\/p>\n

The increase to the most basic captitation funding was about 6.4 percent, he said.<\/p>\n

To earn the full 13.89 percent, GPs would have to reach a series of incentives, he said.<\/p>\n

For instance, there was an childhood immunisation boost that clinics would get if they were able to give 95 percent of babies in their care their six-week vaccinations by the time they were three months old.<\/p>\n

That would not be doable for doctors with very few babies in their practice, and could be difficult in general because of a change in attitude to vaccinations, Chambers said<\/p>\n

Another incentive relied on doctors signing up to give general, non medical-specific data to the government to help with its planning.<\/p>\n

The minister said the increase was part of the government’s plan to rebuild the foundations of the health system, with primary care at the centre.<\/p>\n

“Too many New Zealanders have struggled to get care because their local GP isn’t taking new patients, or the next available appointment is weeks away.<\/p>\n

“This funding boost is about turning things around,” he said.<\/p>\n

Chambers said the funding would not change things instantly but brought New Zealand’s funding more in line with Australia.<\/p>\n

That could help keep and attract doctors, he said.<\/p>\n

“This is like an oil tanker – it will take a long time to turn around – so this is really just a start,” he said.<\/p>\n

The government broke down how the $175m would be used:<\/p>\n