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Wairarapa MP Georgina Beyer is encouraging local health care providers to consider forming Primary Health Organisations, to give their highest-need patients access to affordable primary health care.
Six PHOs have now been established in New Zealand, with four in Tairawhiti, West Coast and Hutt Valley operating from today. PHOs give low-income, high health needs people access to free or low-cost primary health care, and nearly all the country's 21 District Health Boards have indicated they are likely to have at least one PHO established by early next year.
Ms Beyer said GPs, nurses, Māori and Pacific providers are showing a lot of interest in PHOs, and she urges health providers to explore their PHO options with their local DHB.
"The Government has put aside $3m-$4m to help get PHOs established, so potential providers in Wairarapa and DHBs need to be talking about how best to access funding now.
"The funding will be carefully managed to ensure that providers serving the highest need, low-income populations can access funding first if they are ready. But it will be possible to make applications over a long period, so providers who meet the criteria but aren't ready to apply right away, won't miss out."
The increased level of funding allows PHOs to charge patients less. Cheaper services will be extended to more people over the next few years, as more funding becomes available.
As many as 1.7 million to two million New Zealanders could belong to PHOs by July next year. DHB areas that have providers working towards establishing PHOs include Northland, Hawke's Bay, Whanganui, Capital and Coast, Waitemata, Waikato, and the Bay of Plenty.
"PHOs are crucial to achieving better primary health care in our communities, to help turn around some of the poor health statistics, particularly those with high health needs and low income," Ms Beyer said.
The Government has allocated a total of $400 million over three years for primary health care.
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