The announcement by Health Minister Simeon Brown comes as part of a suite of initiatives designed to tackle the long waits for patients to see their GPs. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The government is boosting the number of first-year students who can train to be doctors by 25, bringing the yearly intake for medical schools to 639 from next year.
The announcement by Health Minister Simeon Brown comes as part of a suite of initiatives designed to tackle the long waits for patients to see their GPs.
"I am focused on ensuring Kiwis have better access to primary care services, and strengthening our health workforce is a key part of that," Brown said.
"We can't just rely on sourcing our doctors from overseas - we must ensure a sustainable pipeline of New Zealand-trained doctors.
The additional places will be allocated across the University of Auckland and the University of Otago, beginning in 2026, and comes on top of 75 new places already added this term.
"We need to make investments now to grow this important workforce, so that New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare - now, and in the future," Brown said.
"This boost delivers on our commitment to train more talented, local students."
The government has also announced a separate $23.3 million initiative, over four years, to allow up to 50 New Zealand-trained graduate doctors to continue their training in GP clinics instead of hospitals.
"Talented graduate doctors who have an interest in primary care will be given an early opportunity to pursue that interest, working in communities right across the country."
Business case and cost-benefit analysis of Waikato medical school 'underway'
Speaking to media on Tuesday afternoon, Brown said the planned University of Waikato medical school was never intended to accept students from 2026.
National campaigned on the new school, but its coalition deal with ACT meant a detailed business case and cost-benefit analysis needed to be presented before any binding agreement was made.
"It's well underway. Once decisions have been made, you'll be the first to know," Brown said.
"The intention wasn't for the school to start next year, obviously that's to take a bit longer than that. But this is about saying actually, we also need to be training through our current medical schools. There was an increase of 50 new training positions last year, 25 more this year, and another 25 next year."
Labour's health spokesperson Dr Ayesha Verrall said the previous government had funded 50 additional places in Budget 2023, which were part of the 100 the minister had just announced.
"Those students have already started in medical school at the beginning of this year. The issue is that the additional 50 that's now finally been promised is actually a year late compared to what the National Party promised in their manifesto," she said.
Verrall said it took six years before the students had a benefit in the health system, so New Zealand would continue to experience workplace shortages.
