It is with regret that we have had make the decision to increase the fees we charge you, our patients. We know many households are already struggling with the increased cost of living and understand this increase will sadly only make healthcare more unaffordable and more inequitable.

We want to be transparent with you about the reasons for the fee increase. With government funding for primary care increasing at only 4% in the last year, and our costs having risen more than 9% this last 12 months alone, we have been left with no other choice. Capitation is the government’s way of providing primary care with a predictable, set amount of money for each patient enrolled with them. In the last 19 out of 20 years capitation has failed to meet inflation, a problem that is continuing to snowball this year.

Despite repeated requests to the government for funding levels to at least cover these rising costs, our efforts haven’t resulted in sustainable funding, so we are now in the position of having to pass these costs on to our patients, or potentially even close our practice.

Rural practices like Whangamata Medical Centre, carry an additional financial burden by offering urgent, complex and 24 hour care services that would be provided by A&E and specialist clinics in more urban areas.  We are working hard to recruit additional clinicians, including GPs, and provide pay parity to our staff to match their wages  with their hospital colleagues, but this takes resources which have yet to be provided.

Please know the decision to increase our fees was the last resort, and not one we have taken lightly. We want to assure you your wellbeing is our top priority, and we remain committed to providing you with the best care possible.

Please click here to see our new fee structure or visit our website www.whangamatamedicalcentre.co.nz.

Ngā Mihi,

Whangamata Medical Centre
103 Lincoln Road
Whangamata 3620
07 865 8032
admin@wmcentre.co.nz