fbpx
Print this page
Tuesday, 04 May 2021 07:55

Rural Health is sick

Written by  Peter Burke
Dr Fiona Doolan-Noble says the proof will be in the pudding for those in rural areas after the government's healthcare reform announcement. Dr Fiona Doolan-Noble says the proof will be in the pudding for those in rural areas after the government's healthcare reform announcement.

Rural people are underserviced by the current health model, according to Dr Fiona Doolan-Noble from the Department of General Practice and Rural Health at Otago University.

Doolan-Noble is a nurse with a PhD and who specialises in rural health issues says the focus of the reforms is really good for rural - given the large number of people who work outside urban areas.

"Rural communities are the backbone of NZ," she told Rural News. "More than 700,000 people live rurally so that makes rural NZ the second biggest city in the country and I hope going forward that they are not forgotten."

Doolan-Noble says the approach of the Government's reforms is hard to argue with, but like others who have a vested interest in the reforms, she says the detail and who sits around the table in a given locality will ultimately shape the outcome for communities. She adds that one of the issues to be addressed is that of dental care. She says this is a significant problem in areas such as the West Coast of the South Island.

Doolan-Noble says the changes will take time and the proof will be in the detail.

More like this

Apologise please

OPINION: Health New Zealand says the source of the cryptosporidium outbreak in Queenstown was most likely human faecal contamination of the water supply.

Featured

Vaccinate against new lepto strain

A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.

TV series to combat food waste

Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.

National

Celebrating success

The Director General of MPI, Ray Smith says it's important for his department to celebrate the success of a whole…

Cyclone's devastating legacy

One of the country's top Māori sheep and beef farms is facing a five-year battle to get back to where it…

Machinery & Products

Factory clocks up 60 years

There can't be many heavy metal fans who haven’t heard of Basildon, situated about 40km east of London and originally…

PM opens new Power Farming facility

Morrinsville based Power Farming Group has launched a flagship New Zealand facility in partnership with global construction manufacturer JCB Construction.