Doubts over free GP visits for kids

Free healthcare for under-13s, which is about to be introduced across the country, is a blunt way of dealing with helping young people, a Wanganui health leader says.

The Wanganui Chronicle understands 14 of 15 general practices under the Whanganui Regional Primary Health Organisation have so far signed up to offer free doctors' visits to primary school-aged children from July.

In its 2014 Budget, the Government pledged to make doctors' visits and prescriptions free for all under-13s at a cost of $90 million over three years.

In April, the Green Party obtained documents which revealed only 90 per cent of visits would be funded.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman then advised parents to "shop around for a GP" until they found one that did not charge.

Whanganui Regional Health Network clinical director Alan Mangan said the programme was positive for Wanganui - but it wouldn't solve all woes.

"In a relatively deprived area like Wanganui, it's important for children to have access to health care, but I'm not sure whether I fully believe in universal health care," he said.

"Having a free service is a relatively blunt way of dealing with what is obviously seen as an access issue."

Several other factors determined whether a child saw a doctor, he said.

"Making things free is not the answer to every health issue because it doesn't necessarily mean people will attend.

"There's a whole lot more that goes in to seeing a child in surgery than whether it's free or not, such as transport, motivation and recognition of a serious illness."

Dr Mangan believed the money spent providing free health care for families who could afford it could be spent better elsewhere.

"People need warmer housing, good wages, good education and so on.

"The Government made some moves to support really poor families in the [2015] Budget but there's still going to be a large lower middle class that find tough economic times really challenging."

The programme is expected to benefit about 400,000 children nationwide. It will also include a contribution from ACC which will mean about 213,000 children will receive free injury-related doctors' visits, according to ACC minister Nikki Kaye.

Doctors' visits are currently free for children under six years at about 98 per cent of New Zealand practices.

The uptake wasn't immediate when the under-6 policy was introduced, Dr Coleman said.

"Initial uptake was 70 per cent in January 2008, and it has steadily increased to current levels," he said.

"There are only around 12 general practices in New Zealand that are not offering free under-6s doctors' visits."

The Government expected the uptake to be similar for the under-13s scheme, he said.

A 2013 Child Poverty Action Group survey found the average cost for a child aged 6 to 17 to visit a GP during office hours was $24. Individual charges ranged from zero to $60.

After hours, the average fee was $44, and ranged from zero to $89.