Laws hits at 'closed-shop arrogance' over doctors

Michael Laws

Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws has come out swinging against a plan by the Medical Council to axe the fast-track qualification route for South African doctors wanting to practise in New Zealand.

The council plans to take South Africa off its list of countries deemed to have a comparable health environment to New Zealand.

Doctors with a good standard of English who have been practising in a similar health environment are able to fast-track their registration and practise in New Zealand.

New Zealand has the Western world's highest reliance on overseas-trained doctors, with about 40 per cent of New Zealand's doctors foreign-born.

Mr Laws said the move would particularly hurt provincial centres and pointed out that of the last 40 clinicians appointed to Wanganui Hospital, only four were New Zealand-trained.

"At a time when Wanganui is desperately seeking to recruit child health specialists, this move will gut those efforts," he said. "South African doctors and clinicians underpin many a provincial hospital in this country."

Mr Laws said that the "closed shop arrogance" of the Medical Council had the potential to gut provincial health services. "They are known for their intransigence in registering overseas doctors and then claiming it is to do with clinical safety.

"In reality, it's mostly about keeping economic demand high for their membership. They don't give a stuff about the provinces."

Mr Laws said that a possible compromise would be to retain fast-tracking where there were provincial health services in need.

"For example, Wanganui desperately needs child health and maternity specialists and many rural regions are crying out for GPs."

He would take up the issue with the Minister of Health, he said.

Medical Council chairman John Campbell said last week that South Africa did not meet the criteria required for the fast-track system.

To establish whether a health environment was comparable, the council looked at indicators such as life expectancy, infant mortality and common illnesses.

South African doctors would still be able to practise here but would take a longer pathway to register.

- NZPA