- Hon Simeon Brown
The Government has welcomed the announcement by the Medical Council of New Zealand that will see doctors from Chile, Luxembourg, and Croatia added to the Comparable Health System pathway, which will streamline the registration process and help strengthen New Zealand's frontline health workforce, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
"This is a practical step that will help us get more doctors into hospitals and clinics across the country more quickly," Mr Brown says.
"New Zealand is in an international contest to train, attract, and retain skilled medical professionals. The addition of Chile, Luxembourg, and Croatia to the list of Comparable Health Systems will make it easier for qualified doctors from these countries to live and work in New Zealand."
The Comparable Health System pathway enables international medical graduates from certain countries to fast-track their registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand, provided their qualifications and training meet recognised standards. With this latest decision, there are now 29 countries on the list, following the inclusion of Japan and South Korea earlier this year in February.
"New Zealand has long benefited from the skills and expertise of international medical professionals. They play a vital role in supporting our domestically trained workforce and ensuring patients can access timely, quality healthcare," Mr Brown says.
"This builds on other initiatives the Government has to boost New Zealand's health workforce. Earlier this year I announced a two-year training programme to support up to 100 additional overseas-trained doctors into New Zealand's primary care workforce.
"Over 180 expressions of interest were received for this programme, exceeding the number of places available. This strong response shows that there is untapped potential in New Zealand. Overseas trained doctors are eager to work where they are most needed, and this Government is opening the door for them to do so.
"Through our record $16.68 billion investment across three Budgets, we are making sure our health system is properly resourced to meet the growing demands placed on it. That funding is already delivering results, with record funding for general practice to increase capacity, upgraded urgent care services across the country, and a new 24/7 digital health service. This is how we are putting patients first.
"The Medical Council's announcement adds to the body of work the Government is undertaking to rebuild our health system around the needs of patients, so that all New Zealanders can receive the timely, quality healthcare they need."
