KEY POINTS:
The Government will pay for an extra 25 doctors to start training as general practitioners from February, to help ease the GP shortage.
This will increase the number on the first year of the three-year programme to 129.
GP leaders have warned of a crisis because of low numbers in state-funded training, the growing and ageing population and the introduction of universal state subsidies for patient fees.
Rural areas have been worst hit, but overworked GPs in some urban areas have closed their books to new patients, and people in some places now have to wait days to see a doctor for non-urgent care. After dropping below 3000 for several years, the number of GPs rose last year to 3195, the most since 1999, when there were 3191.
The Labour-led Government increased the number of funded first-year training places to 54 in 2006, from 50, and to 69 last year.
Before the elections last month, National promised an increase to 154 - the number which the Ministry of Health said, in a July report, was needed. Health Minister Tony Ryall said yesterday that his aim was an increase to 154 in 2010.
The College of GPs' national director of education, Jane Dancer, was "very pleased" at the increase, but said still more places were needed.
She said another significant change for 2009 was that the ministry's Clinical Training Agency would allow health clinics, and other groups like primary health organisations and district health boards, to pay financial incentives to first-year GP trainees on top of the $43,000 tax-free bursary from the Government. The bursary was their only income, apart from stints as fill-in locum doctors.
"It will probably make a difference in areas where there are shortages or less attractive areas that they wouldn't want to go to as first choice if those areas can find funding to top up the bursary. If they train there, they are much more likely to stay there once they are finished."
Ms Dancer said the bursary was set at a similar level to the after-tax pay rate of equivalent trainee specialists employed by health boards, but the latter earned extra if they worked longer hours.
GP TRAINING
* Takes three years, if all done full time, following six years at medical school and two as house surgeon.
* Govt pays trainees a $43,000 tax-free bursary in first year of GP programme. Subsequently paid by their clinic.
* From February, for the first time, clinics and other health organisations can pay first-years a top-up.
