Rotorua And Hutt Only Cities Short Of Doctors

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30957, 13 January 1966, Page 6

Rotorua And Hutt Only Cities Short Of Doctors

“The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND, Jan. 12. Rotorua and Hutt are the only urban areas in New Zealand with a shortage of doctors, says a new Health Department booklet. Written by the director of the division of clinical services, Dr. A. W. S. Thompson, the booklet is entitled “Where Should I Practise?” and summarises the availability and distribution of medical practitioners. It is concerned only with doctors providing general medical services under the social security scheme. Dr. Thompson says there should be one general practitioner for every 1750 to 2000 people. With an urban area population of 30,400, Rotorua has 2475 people to every active general. practitioner. Fifteen doctors practise in the area, whereas the optimum is 19 to 21.

Hutt, with 40 general practitioners serving 111,400 people, needs 53 to 60 doctors.

At the other extreme, Auckland has a surplus of doctors. With an optimum number of 233 to 266, the city is served by 308 doctors. Of the 18 urban areas listed, nine could accept more doctors, but only Rotorua and Hutt are less than adequately supplied. Turning to country areas, Dr. Thompson lists 13 districts which are short of doctors.

Nearly 40 doctors would be needed to bring them all up

to the theoretical optimum and they could, in theory, absorb about 90 altogether. Dr. Thompson suggests that the rural parts of the Palmerston North, Rotorua, and Invercargill districts offer plenty of scope for additional practitioners.

The Wanganui, Gisborne, and New Plymouth rural areas also need more doctors. “In my travels round New Zealand the happiest men I meet are country doctors,” he says. “Rural dwellers on the whole are friendlier, more considerate, and more selfreliant than people in towns. They are also far more appreciative of the doctor’s services.”