General Practice Is Stabilising, But Recovery Remains Fragile

General practice has pulled back from the brink after years of intense financial and workforce pressure, but the sector remains fragile and significant challenges continue to threaten patient access, according to new GenPro survey data.

GenPro’s Annual Pulse Survey, which tracks the financial, workforce and operational health of general practices, shows improvement across almost every measure tracked consistently since the survey began.

GenPro Chair Dr Angus Chambers says the results provide encouraging signs that general practice is stabilising, but it’s too early to describe the sector as recovered.

“General practice has stepped back from the edge, and that is welcome news for practices, their teams and their patients,” Dr Chambers says.

“But the recovery is fragile. Almost half of practices still have a GP vacancy, too many practices
remain financially stretched, and more than half are charging for services that were previously free.

“The message from this year’s survey is clear: the trajectory is better, but we cannot afford to take our foot off the accelerator.”

GP shortages remain a major concern

The proportion of practices with GP vacancies fell from 54 percent last year to 47 percent this year, but Dr Chambers says the level remains unacceptably high.

“Having enough GPs is fundamental to continuity of care, timely appointments and maintaining access to primary care in communities across New Zealand,” he says.

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Nurse vacancies also improved, falling from 23 percent to 18 percent.

“The improvement in nursing vacancies shows that workforce pressures can respond to the right interventions. We need the same sustained focus on rebuilding the GP workforce.”

Financial pressures are easing — but not for everyone

There were small signs of improvement in practices’ financial performance.

Concern about future financial viability fell from 65 percent to 60 percent while the proportion of practices reporting that they were operating at a loss fell from 19 percent to 12 percent.

However, the improvement was not universal. The proportion of practices saying that their financial position had worsened over the previous year increased from 23 percent to 27 percent.

“That is an important warning sign,” Dr Chambers says. “While fewer practices are operating at a loss and fewer are deeply concerned about their future viability, more practices are telling us that their financial position has deteriorated.

“That tells us the underlying financial pressures have not gone away.”

Patient access is improving

There were also encouraging signs that pressure on patient access is easing.

The proportion of practices accepting all new enrolments increased from 36 percent to 39 percent, while the proportion accepting no new enrolments fell from 19 percent to 13 percent.

Service reductions also became less common, with the proportion of practices reporting reduced services falling from 29 percent last year to 22 percent.

Dr Chambers says these improvements demonstrate the value of additional support provided to general practice over the past two years, following a prolonged period of under-investment.

“The worst of the deterioration appears to have passed, but general practice is not out of the woods,” he says.

“We need to consolidate these gains and address the underlying pressures before they begin to erode the progress that has been made.”

“That means giving practices greater certainty over funding, tackling the GP workforce shortage and ensuring people can continue to access a GP or nurse practitioner in their community.

“New Zealand cannot afford to let general practice slip backwards after making this progress.”

GenPro last month released its election manifesto, Seven Steps to Restore General Practice, calling for action to put family doctors on a sustainable financial footing, improve health outcomes and reduce waiting times for patients

GenPro members are owners and providers of general practices and urgent care centres throughout New Zealand.

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