Mass disenrollment from Hastings GP: Patient says many will rely on ED
A medical clinic in Hastings, New Zealand, is disenrolling 3,000 patients due to a severe GP shortage. Patients fear this will lead to increased pressure on local hospital emergency departments.
Why it matters
The situation underscores the growing strain on primary healthcare infrastructure and the potential ripple effects on emergency medical services.
GP clinic Hauora Heretaunga is in Hastings at the Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga headquarters. Photo / NZME
One of the 3000 patients being disenrolled from a large Hastings medical centre says she will probably rely on the hospital emergency department for essential medical attention if she can’t find a new general practice.
This month, a low-cost medical centre in the Hastings suburb of Camberley, Hauora Heretaunga, announced it was disenrolling half of its 6000 patients because of a shortage of GPs.
Māori-led health and social services provider Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga (TToH) runs that medical clinic and cited the well-being and safety of its patients in making the difficult decision.
It has a team working with affected patients to help move them to other GP clinics.
For now, affected patients can continue using Hauora Heretaunga as normal and book an appointment with a doctor, TToH confirmed.
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