Warwick Bagg: Auckland University Professor on the new training placements, advanced education for nurses

There's delight at the Government's moves to improve access to primary care. 

It's announced the annual training places for nurse practitioners in primary care will double next year from 60 to 120. 

Health Minister Simeon Brown also announced the Government will support advanced education for up to 120 registered primary care nurses. 

Auckland University professor Warwick Bagg told Andrew Dickens Brown's efforts will make a huge difference to the sector. 

He says Brown's supported new locally trained doctors, and is making use of doctors here or arriving in New Zealand, helping them become GPs. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So it's been a big week of health announcements. We've
got the doctors one, now we've got another one. The
government's increasing the number of training places for nurse practitioners
specializing in primary care to one hundred and twenty a year.
Is also supporting advanced education for up to one hundred
and twenty registered nurses. Professor Warwick bag is the Dean
of Medical and Health Sciences at Orkhan University. He's got

(00:20):
up early for us. Good morning to your Warwick.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good morning, Andrew. Wonderful news, isn't it? Is it enough?

Speaker 1 (00:26):
Will it make a difference?

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Of course it will make a difference, Andrew. The Minister
has touched on all of the important points to improve
the numbers of healthcare workers in New Zealand. He's announced
nurse practitioner training, particularly in primary care. He's upstealing nurses
in rural education. He has supported new locally trained doctors,

(00:49):
and he's also making use of doctors that are already
here or arriving in New Zealand and helping them to
train to become general practitioners. So there's a range of
solutions and the Minister injected money behind each of those solutions,
which is really going to make a difference, some of
those in the very near term, some of those in
the longer term.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
Obviously you appreciate and respect the Health Minister, which is
of course, Simian Brown, is the war between the Health
Ministry and all the practitioners can to an end.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Well. I think as a university we delighted to be
able to work with the Minister to help with their
education of folks who want to be health professionals to
meet New Zealand's needs. So we're definitely very delighted with
their announcement and helping the sector get back on its feet.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
And because you're at the university, because you're training these people,
are people coming to you for training? Do we have
the raw materials that can be formed into a health sector?

Speaker 2 (01:49):
Absolutely, Andrew. We've been absolutely delighted by the strength of
all of our applications this year. We are well experienced,
we've got a great track record, and we're really excited
about the way we can do this education and the
cost effective way we can do this education. So this
is really a very good news story and delighted by

(02:10):
the Minister's series of announcements.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
And finally, those people you're going to train are their
jobs for them at the other end.

Speaker 2 (02:17):
So one of the challenges with new nursing graduates, that's
been a particular challenge and something we need to keep
working through and I know that TU New Zealand is
committed to doing that. We seem to have no trouble
in finding places for doctors to work, so that's really
good news and with a focus on general practice, will
really be strengthening that part of the equation. So I

(02:41):
think it's a strong yes to you or answer with
some attention, particularly to those areas around new graduate nurses.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
Well Wareck, thank you so much for your insight today,
Professor Warwick bag from the University of Auckland.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live
to News Talks It Be from five am weekdays of
the podcast on iHeartRadio.