GP practice told to set up cafe to bring in more cash

Checkpoint

A struggling GP practice was allegedly told by a Te Whatu Ora committee to set up a cafe inside their clinic to bring in extra cash. In September, General Practice New Zealand surveyed Primary health Organisations or PHOs, that deliver GP services; with about 76 percent of them responding. More than 60 percent of the PHO's have clinics in their network that are facing closures, 61 percent are reducing services, and 100 percent are restricting patient access in some way. Among the reasons given; financial pressure, GPs, retention and burnout issues. In the survey, one practice revealed Te Whatu Ora's fees review committee, which makes independent recommendations about increases to GP fees - suggested one medical centre set up a cafe within their practice to ease financial pressures. Andrew Swanson-Dobbs is CEO, of WellSouth and the PHO, for the clinic who got the cafe advice, he spoke to Lisa Owen.