The New Zealand Government is taking steps to address the ongoing challenges in the country’s healthcare system, ensuring that Kiwis can more easily access medical care when needed.

Under the leadership of Health Minister Simeon Brown, a range of new initiatives have been introduced to provide better access to healthcare, with a particular focus on primary care.

Minister Brown highlighted that despite significant funding in healthcare, many New Zealanders are still struggling to secure appointments with their GP, which has added pressure to emergency departments.

To address these challenges, the Government has announced several measures, including:

• 100 clinical placements for overseas-trained doctors to work in primary care.
• Incentives for primary care to recruit up to 400 graduate registered nurses per year for three years.
• A new 24/7 digital service to provide online medical appointments to all New Zealanders.
• A $285 million uplift in funding for general practice over the next three years.

“We are taking action to ensure New Zealanders have increased access to more doctors and nurses and more choices for where they can access healthcare,” Mr Brown said.

A key part of this initiative is the introduction of a new primary care training programme for up to 100 overseas-trained doctors, who are willing to work in New Zealand but currently lack adequate training opportunities.

The programme, which builds on a successful pilot in Waikato, will provide critical support for general practices in need of additional healthcare professionals.

Furthermore, the Government has committed to providing incentives for recruiting graduate nurses.

This initiative aims to attract and retain nurses, particularly in rural areas, where the demand for healthcare professionals is highest.

Primary care providers will receive up to $20,000 per graduate nurse in rural areas and $15,000 for those in cities.

To ensure New Zealanders have access to healthcare anytime and anywhere, the Government is also introducing a 24/7 digital healthcare service.

This service will enable Kiwis to consult with New Zealand-registered clinicians via video consultations, access prescriptions, and make referrals for lab tests—all from the comfort of their own homes.

As part of these initiatives, Health New Zealand will invest $285 million in general practice funding over the next three years.

Health Minister Simeon Brown.

This funding, which is part of the Government’s larger health budget of $16.68 billion, aims to help GP practices stay open to new patients, meet government health targets, and improve access to timely healthcare services.

Minister Brown emphasised that these efforts are essential in reducing the pressure on GPs, ensuring that Kiwis can access healthcare when they need it most.

“Today’s announcement is a significant step forward in making sure every New Zealander can access the high-quality care they deserve,” Mr Brown said.

Further announcements on how the Government plans to increase and retain doctors and nurses are expected to follow.

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