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Primary healthcare is back in the news this morning, with a report putting us fifth from bottom in the OECD for healthcare waiting times.
\\nFifth from last, out of 38 OECD nations.
\\nCould there be any more of a fence at the top of the cliff scenario.
\\nLook at it this way: if your car starts making funny noises you lift the hood, look for something obvious, and if that doesn\'t fix it you take it to someone who can.
\\nLeaving it just makes things worse.
\\nSame with your body, surely. If it starts making funny noises you have a poke around, and if that doesn\'t fix it, you take yourself off to someone who can.
\\nLeaving it just makes things worse.
\\nLooking under the hood of these waiting times reveal we have a deep systemic issue.
\\nGPs say that quality healthcare is all about access. But it\'s the first thing that goes when a system is failing.\\xa0
\\nWorse than that, in health terms poor access translates to worse morbidity and mortality figures.
\\nOn the ground, when people can\'t access a GP they get sicker. Then they\'re off to A&E, clogging up those emergency departments for people who need immediate care.
\\nThere\'s a few other factors at play, but the bottom line is pretty plain. We just don\'t train enough doctors and we don\'t have enough GPs.
\\nRather than set up another medical school, or maybe a couple more, we depend instead on importing doctors from overseas.
\\nPoliticians baulk at this. \\u201cOhhh... it\'s so expensive... and we can\'t afford to make GP visits free.\\u201d
\\nI\'d argue the other side. This is about the most blatant example of ambulance at the bottom of the cliff mentality.
\\nPrevention is better than a cure.
\\nNext to that? Early intervention is what we need.
\\nThis article was amended on 27 January 2023. An earlier version stated that the report referred to put New Zealand \\u201cfifth from bottom in the OECD for GP waiting times\\u201d. It should have said healthcare waiting times. This has now been updated.
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