New Zealand rural primary health care workforce in 2005: more than just a doctor shortage

OBJECTIVE: To obtain a 2005 snapshot of New Zealand (NZ) rural primary health care workforce, specifically GPs, general practice nurses and community pharmacists. DESIGN: Postal questionnaires, November 2005. SETTING: NZ-wide rural general practices and community pharmacies. PARTICIPANTS: Rural general practice managers, GPs, nurses, community pharmacy managers and pharmacists. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported data: demographics, country of training, years in practice, business ownership, hours worked including on-call, intention to leave rural practice. RESULTS: General practices: response rate 95% (206/217); 70% GP-owned, practice size ranged from one GP/one nurse to 12 GPs/nine nurses. PHARMACIES: Response rate 90% (147/163). Majority had one (33%) or two (32%) pharmacists; <10% had more than three pharmacists. GPs: response rate 64% (358/559), 71% male, 73% aged >40, 61% full-time, 79% provide on-call, 57% overseas-trained, 78% male and 57% female GPs aged >40; more full-time male GPs (76%) than female (37%) . Nurses: response rate 65% (445/685), 97% female, 72% aged >40, 31% full-time, 28% provide on-call, 84% NZ-trained, 45% consulted independently in 'nurse-clinics' within practice setting. Pharmacists: response rate 96% (248/258), 52% male, 66% aged >40, 71% full-time, 33% provide on-call, 92% NZ-trained, 55% sole/partner pharmacy owners. Many intend to leave NZ rural practice within 5 years: GPs (34%), nurses (25%) and pharmacists (47%). CONCLUSION: This is the first NZ-wide rural workforce survey to include a range of rural primary health care providers (GPs, nurses and pharmacists). Ageing rural primary health care workforce and intentions to leave herald worsening workforce shortages.