What is primary healthcare?

Primary healthcare is what you receive when you visit your family doctor (general practitioner; GP), midwife, practice nurse, dentist, physiotherapist, counsellor or a number of other community-based providers. Your primary healthcare provider is generally your first point of call for medical treatment. When you are referred to a hospital or specialist, this is called secondary care.

The new way primary care is organised

Since 2002 changes have been taking place in the way primary healthcare is funded and delivered in New Zealand. The change started in February 2001 when the Minister of Health released the Primary Health Care Strategy.

At the heart of the strategy is the creation of new organisations called Primary Health Organisations, or PHOs, designed to deliver primary healthcare services to the community, in many cases at a lower cost than has been available.

The idea is that GPs, practice nurses, Maori health providers and other primary healthcare providers work together in PHOs to meet the health requirements of the people enrolled in their local PHOs.

PHOs in some areas of New Zealand are set up to provide Maori health services within those communities.

The first two PHOs got under way in South Auckland in July 2002. As at July 2011 New Zealand has 32 PHOs providing services for most of the New Zealand population. Most of the early PHOs were started in areas with either large Maori or Pacific Island populations or high numbers of low income families, but now they are present nationwide.

PHO funding is different

The PHOs are funded according to the needs of their population. Essentially, this means that in poorer areas, or in areas where the population is much older or has higher health needs, the GPs and other health providers offer cheaper visits and services because they receive higher funding from the Government.

The current plan is for all PHOs to be funded the same by 2007.

Regardless of where you live, you are eligible for much reduced primary health costs. This includes $3 prescriptions.

Some subsidies are also still available for holders of Community Services Cards and High User Health Cards. See our topic New Zealand Health System - what you might pay for healthcare.

Note: not all primary healthcare services will be supplied by PHOs (eg, dental and physiotherapy services), and not all of the services will be subsidised by the government.

How do I join a PHO?

If your current GP is part of a PHO you will probably have joined the PHO register when you enrolled with your GP.

Enrolling with a PHO does not mean you can only go to health providers who belong to that PHO. However, if you visit a provider in another PHO, your PHO will have to meet the cost.

What if my doctor doesn't belong to a PHO?

If your doctor doesn't belong to a PHO (most now do belong) you could choose to shift to another doctor nearby.

Eventually all primary healthcare providers will need to be part of a PHO if they wish to receive higher Government subsidises for treating patients.

Contact details for PHOs are available on the Ministry of Health website

Original material supplied by everybody. Information current as of August 2005.