Free after hours doctor visits for all Rotorua children under six

Health Minister Tony Ryall has congratulated Lakes District Health Board for achieving free after hours doctors’ visits for all Rotorua children under six.

“Rotorua is one of the last larger urban areas to achieve free after hours care, so this is very good news for the 6,900 enrolled under six year olds and their families.

“Lakes DHB now has 100 per cent free care available to nearly ten thousand under six year olds, during the day and after hours,” Mr Ryall says.

“This is part of the National government’s election commitment to spend $28 million over four years giving at least 90 per cent of under six year olds free access to the doctor after hours.

“Instead, after just a few months, there are 15 district health boards providing free after-hours GP services for over 95 per cent of their under six population - within reasonable travel time.

“This includes five DHBs who’ve indicated they are at 100 per cent coverage; West Coast, Lakes, Hutt, Capital and Coast and MidCentral DHBs.

“This is an important preventative health measure as parents are more likely to take their child to the doctor for treatment before their condition becomes severe. It will also help reduce the numbers of young children presenting to our busy hospital emergency departments with an illness that a GP could have treated,” Mr Ryall says.

“Participation is voluntary because most general practices are private businesses. We’ve asked DHBs to continue discussions, particularly with rural GP networks and after-hours clinics not already signed up, to provide more free after-hours services for under sixes.