The biggest worries for family doctors this winter and what you can do to help

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A leading GP says an incredibly dedicated and skilled health workforce is determined to get New Zealanders through winter despite the high levels of burnout and staffing gaps in clinics.

Dr Luke Bradford, the new medical director of the Royal NZ College of GPs, spoke to The Post on day one of winter, a period when Covid-19, RSV and influenza are expected to spike in the community.

On top of this, constraints on access the health system and the way the sector worked were creating a “structural crisis” in healthcare, Bradford said.

”I think everyone’s a bit grumpy, aren’t they?” he said.

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Dr Luke Bradford, medical director of the Royal NZ College of GPs, says the best thing people can do is be proactive about their health this winter.

ROBERT KITCHIN/Stuff

Dr Luke Bradford, medical director of the Royal NZ College of GPs, says the best thing people can do is be proactive about their health this winter.

Despite that, he was optimistic – and said people should still feel confident about accessing healthcare.

“There’s an incredibly dedicated workforce out there, whose absolute number one priority is the welfare of patients. There’s a winter every year and we know what illnesses will be there and we know how to manage them.”

Bradford has been in the role with the College of GPs for about seven weeks, taking over from Porirua-based GP, Dr Bryan Betty, who has moved from the College to General Practice NZ.

“We do know the health system is set up to buckle last for those acute presentations and we’re working with our members, pharmacies… urgent care centres and EDs to ensure people can access care when they need it.”

Much like last winter, patients should expect to see some clinics close their books in places where there are simply not enough doctors.

Dr Luke Bradford at his practice in Tauranga.

MARK TAYLOR/Stuff

Dr Luke Bradford at his practice in Tauranga.

“We have pockets in country areas where people can’t register with general practices because the practices are at full capacity. If you keep taking patients when you’re at full capacity, you’re not able to see the patients you’ve already got. So it’s not a successful formula.”

But being proactive about your health and doing preventative work would help, Bradford said.

“Have your flu vaccine. Have your Covid vaccine. Make sure your children’s vaccines are up-to-date… That’s really important because diseases like that are often preventable and that really helps a whole system.”

Those basics like staying home or keeping the kids home if they’re sick were also important.

Latest childhood immunisation data shows a third of 6-month-old babies are at risk of contracting preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough. Immunisation rates for 6-month-olds needed to be closer to 90%-95%, he said.

Strategies such as taking vaccinations into communities, extending hours for clinics – particularly at weekends, and enabling more conversations with whānau at the early stages of a child’s life would all help to bring up immunisation rates, Bradford said.

He also urged people to plan ahead when they could to help their chances of seeing a doctor. If you have several problems it’s a good idea to book a double appointment, as standard appointments remain 15 minutes long.

Other options such as phone or video can often be more accessible than face-to-face consultations in a pinch, he said.

Bradford is a UK-trained GP and lives in Tauranga where he works at the large 5th Avenue Family Practice, which serves 15,000 patients.

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