The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners

Our general practice and pharmacy colleagues in Canterbury are doing a fantastic job, with services operating at near normal levels in most areas. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and their admin staff are turning up to work as normal despite personal stress (in several cases having lost their own homes) and fatigue. This is an extraordinary event which requires national support.

The local earthquake “incident control centre” for general practice and community pharmacy throughout Canterbury is based at Pegasus Health, who are co-ordinating any requests from general practice and community pharmacy for workforce relief. They are working alongside Canterbury DHB and a MoH led “national health co-ordination centre” (NHCC), and GPNZ to co-ordinate workforce relief.

GPNZ has been asked by Pegasus and the NHCC to compile a register of willing GPs, nurses, receptionist and admin staff, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians from other parts of NZ who are prepared to offer short term relief as requested by colleagues in Canterbury. Some will be required immediately but there is an anticipated need for some weeks, as the full impact of the earthquake is realised.

GPNZ is liasing directly with Pegasus to match requests with suitable candidates, with logistic support from the NHCC and CDHB re accommodation etc..

We urge practices and pharmacies to respond to this call for assistance if you have any ability to do so, or know of someone who may have time available. This is a back up plan, and putting your name on the register does not necessarily mean you will be called upon. Although longer periods (>5 days) would be ideal, assistance for several days or a weekend will still be hugely appreciated by Canterbury practices and pharmacies.

GPNZ has today sent requests via general practice networks who may have already contacted you. If not, and you would like to offer assistance, please complete this registration form and return to General Practice NZ as soon as possible.. All responses to GPNZ should be addressed to Sheryl.crase@gpnz.org.nz or sent to fax 04 470 0120.

Please give this your urgent consideration.

GPNZ is very grateful for the support of our GPLF partners in this task.

Dr Bev O’Keefe
Chair
General Practice NZ