- Hon Simeon Brown
New Zealanders will be able to have suspicious skin spots and moles checked and removed at a local GP clinic, the first stage of a $23 million investment in community healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
"New Zealand has among the highest rates of melanoma in the world. Skin cancer is our most common cancer, and it is one of the most treatable, but only if it is caught early," Mr Brown says.
"For too many New Zealanders, what happens after a suspected skin cancer is spotted depends on where they live. In some parts of the country there are excellent community skin cancer services. In others, the only options are a long hospital wait or paying to go private."
The $23 million investment will move more care out of hospitals and into local GP clinics and community services, starting with the removal and treatment of suspicious skin spots and moles. Over time, it will also include cataract follow-up with optometrists, symptomatic bowel cancer detection, and respiratory care.
"This first stage will build on the skin cancer services that already work well across the country, creating a nationally consistent approach to how this care is delivered.
"A key part of this is funding GPs to upskill, so more clinics can offer this care. That includes training in dermoscopy, which uses a specialised magnifier to examine suspicious spots closely, and skin excision, so those spots can be removed on site rather than in hospital."
It builds on the $5 million the Government invested last year to enhance general primary care services, which has enabled the expansion of treatment for abnormal uterine bleeding and minor gynaecological procedures into participating GP clinics in every region of the country.
"When skin cancer is caught and treated early, outcomes are significantly better for patients. This initiative means more New Zealanders will be able to have suspicious spots checked and removed sooner, without waiting for a hospital appointment or paying to go private.
"It also means better use of our hospital specialists, who will be able to focus on the more complex cases that require hospital-level care, helping to bring down waiting times for those patients.
"We are focused on fixing the basics and building the future. Delivering more care in the community, closer to where people live, is a key part of that," Mr Brown says.
