Doctor shortage evident at TDH
Jessica Wauchop
Gisborne Hospital's workforce is being kept afloat thanks to overseas doctors who now make up more than half of the medical practitioners.
A reliance on overseas doctors has reached such an extent that of the 57 doctors at the hospital only 25 identify as New Zealand European or Pakeha and none identify as Maori.
Yet despite this growing number of overseas doctors in employment, Tairawhiti District Health chief executive Jim Green said there was nothing to worry about.
"It is not a concern, but we are however interested in boosting the number of New Zealand trained doctors," he says.
"These are (overseas) doctors who have received their primary or secondary qualifications in another country. Their qualifications have been approved by our own Medical Council."
Attracting doctors to Gisborne for long-term positions is difficult and the hospital relies heavily on locum doctors who make up 10 of the 57 positions.
However, only two of the 10 identify as New Zealanders and again none identify as Maori.
The information obtained under the Official Information Act did not specify what countries the remaining 32 doctors were from.
"There are a number of reasons for the number of such doctors at Gisborne Hospital," said Mr Green.
"New Zealand does not train enough doctors in the first place. During the 1990s in particular we had a hands off approach to the future workforce in health in New Zealand and did not project forward how many doctors we would need."
The high cost of training is also a factor as New Zealand doctors head overseas looking for ways to reduce their debt, he said.
"We do not encourage or make compulsory training in a rural setting. There are few registrar positions in rural areas so doctors do not routinely experience the benefits of working in rural settings.
"Rosters are smaller in rural areas and this is less attractive to doctors."
The rock-bottom number of Maori doctors at the hospital is something that health professionals insist is a concern.
Maori Ora Associates senior health adviser Dr Peter Jansen, who spoke in Gisborne earlier this month, said an increase in the number of Maori doctors was essential to increase the state of Maori health.
"There are disparities everywhere in health, part of them are due to different social and economic statistics, but more than half of the disparities are due to provider issues and interactions of provider and patients."
Tairawhiti does have Maori doctors working in general practices, but not enough, said Mr Green.
"It is of concern. There should be more students of all ethnic backgrounds coming through into the profession.
"The number of Maori who are in hospital specialist positions is comparatively low."
Advertisements for job vacancies are shown both in New Zealand and overseas and the person best qualified and suited for the position is chosen.
This year a report released by the World Health Organisation showed New Zealand had the highest ratios of foreign born and trained doctors in the OECD, and among the highest for nurses.