By Times Team

Copyright times

By Simeon Brown, Member of Parliament for Pakuranga

The Government is taking further action to ensure Kiwis can see a doctor, with faster access to primary care and a stronger pipeline of locally trained GPs.

We want all New Zealanders to be able to see a GP when they need one, and the health system should reflect the needs of patients, wherever they live in New Zealand.

That’s why we’re making changes to the way GP clinics are funded to ensure money goes where it’s needed most.

The Government’s funding method for GP clinics, known as capitation, will be updated for the first time in more than 20 years, from July 1, 2026.

The current model is outdated and doesn’t reflect the needs of patients.

The revised formula will go beyond just age and sex, to also include multimorbidity, rurality, and socioeconomic deprivation.

These changes will better distribute funding so GP clinics with a higher needs population of enrolled patients will receive more funding to care for them.

The Government is also introducing a new national health target to drive timely access to primary care.

People shouldn’t have to wait weeks to see a doctor. Delays can lead to poorer health outcomes, more pressure on hospitals, and growing frustration for patients.

We’re focused on delivering timely, quality care that puts patients first.

This new target will be developed in partnership with the primary care sector and will aim to ensure that more than 80 per cent of people can see a primary care provider within one week, taking effect from July 1, 2026.

The Government is also making targeted investments in general practice training to strengthen the GP workforce and support long-term retention.

We’re increasing funding for the General Practice Education Programme (GPEP) to ensure it’s valued and supported in the same way as other medical specialist training programmes.

The Government will fund:

Training fees in 2025 for doctors in their second, third, and post-third year of GPEP to encourage completion of their training.
Exam and preparation costs for around 200 GPEP trainees who have completed, or nearly completed, training but not yet taken the fellowship exam.
Full ongoing training and education costs for approximately 400 GPEP year 2 and 3 trainees each year.

By fully covering training and exam costs, we’ll enable hundreds of doctors to complete the pathway to becoming GPs, giving them the support they need to finish their training and enter the health workforce – building a stronger pipeline of experienced GPs who can train and mentor the next generation.

This Government knows primary care is the cornerstone of the health system.

Improving access will help ease pressure on hospitals and ensure New Zealanders get timely, quality care when and where they need it.