More doctors urged to train as specialist GPs

MEDIA RELEASE

More doctors urged to train as specialist general practitioners

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners is advocating that all doctors working in general practice have specific post-graduate (vocational) training.

Speaking at the College's annual conference, President Dr Harry Pert called for all doctors working in general practice to be vocationally trained as general practitioners.

“Most doctors working in general practice in New Zealand are either vocationally registered GPs or in training to become so. However, about 25% of medical practitioners working in general practice - around 900 doctors - have not taken that step and that is a concern.”

Vocational training is the specialist post-graduate training that doctors can undertake after graduating from medical school. General practice is one of the specialist fields for which doctors qualify through vocational training.

Vocational training for general practitioners takes three years.

Dr Pert says research shows quite clearly that a lack of vocational training is associated with complaints about doctors and concerns about their competence, especially in general practice.

“Put another way, encouraging all general practitioners into vocational training would improve the standard of patient care in New Zealand and improve patient safety.”

Dr Pert said New Zealand has lagged behind other countries, notably Australia, the UK and Canada, in terms of tolerating non-vocationally trained doctors working in general practice.

“This is particularly puzzling because, as a medical speciality, general practice deals with the widest range of conditions, with the greatest range of severity and treats patients with the broadest age range.

“The public has a right to expect the very best standard of healthcare when they visit a doctor, and we doctors have an obligation to provide it. Ensuring we are properly trained as medical specialists should be a pre-requisite for all general practitioners.”

Dr Pert is also calling on government agencies which deal with the health sector, and which provide funding to doctors, to distinguish between doctors in general practice who do and don’t have vocational training.

ENDS

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