Less reliance wanted on overseas doctors

The shortage of doctors has made New Zealand too dependent on overseas-trained physicians, says the Medical Association deputy chairman, Dr Don Simmers.

A study in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine reported that New Zealand employed the highest percentage of overseas-trained doctors among the 30 member countries of the OECD.

"About 40 per cent of doctors working in New Zealand are from overseas and this reliance is largely due to a shortage of doctors, especially in the rural sector," Dr Simmers said.

"Coupled with this we have a high number of New Zealand's graduates leaving to work overseas."

Disadvantages to New Zealand's medical services included immigrant doctors having difficulty adapting to cultural differences and high training costs involved, Dr Simmers said.

"Working conditions in this country must be improved to increase the retention of graduates," he said.

"Our own graduates will generally be counted among New Zealand's best doctors and good doctors are more likely to deliver high-quality, cost-effective healthcare."

He said the work environment in hospitals and communities was below First World standards.

Although an increased income for doctors was important, other measures such as training needed to be looked at.

"Our medical schools are now realising the need to adjust undergraduate training so that young doctors are better prepared to deliver healthcare in all of New Zealand's varied communities and not only the major centres with tertiary hospitals," he said.

"The health system also needs greater input into the undergraduate curriculum."

The association would like to see the Government take a strategic approach to address medical workforce shortages.

- NZPA