Govt dealing with medical shortages - Ryall

The Government says it is taking New Zealand's severe shortage of medical specialists seriously but changes won't happen overnight.

In Health at a Glance 2009, an Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) publication, New Zealand scored the lowest out of the 28 countries surveyed.

The poll showed New Zealand had only 0.8 specialists per 1000 population.

Health Minister Tony Ryall Ryall said the figures, based on 2007 data, were worrying.

"Everyone is concerned by the workforce crisis that the government has inherited. It's a real challenge to keep the public health service going when we have these staffing problems, but we are dealing with them," he told Radio New Zealand.

The Government had introduced a voluntary bonding scheme for health professionals and was focusing on improving moral and engaging doctors in running the service. It was employing more doctors in public hospitals.

Close to 900 joined the bonding scheme last year - 550 more than forecast.

"Certainly the government is taking quite a lot of action."

Mr Ryall said the report had been released last December.

"We have inherited a long-standing health workforce crisis where we haven't trained enough doctors, the government's responding," he said.

"I think we are making good progress... you can't turn it around over night."

Association of Salaried Medical Specialist executive director Ian Powell yesterday said the international data highlighted the appalling shortages of hospital specialists in the country.

"We already know that our public health system is suffering from serious senior doctor shortages. The accessibility, range, and quality of patient services are being held together by an overworked and over-stretched hospital specialist workforce."

OECD, an organisation that provides economic and social data, surveyed 28 countries using 2007 information or latest date available for the report.

Greece landed at the top with 3.4 specialists per 1000 population, while Australia was placed 20th with 1.4.

The OECD average was 1.8.

Mr Powell said despite the shortage, the New Zealand public health system was performing well thanks to the productivity of senior doctors, but it was unsustainable.

"Without remedy the system will eventually collapse," he said.

"New Zealand needs a coherent strategy to recruit and retain enough senior doctors to overcome the public health system's unsustainable dependence on exploitation of senior doctors. Being able to compete against Australia through competitive specialist salaries is a critical part of this."

- NZPA