Auckland GP practise forced to deter tax payments

A West Auckland GP practice has been forced to defer tax payments and ask for a rent holiday because of a growing number of patients unable to pay.  Earlier this week we brought you the story of another  GP practice that was allegedly told by a committee established by Te Whatu Ora to set up a cafe inside their clinic to bring in extra cash. In September, General Practice New Zealand surveyed Primary health Organisations or P-H-Os, they deliver GP services. About 76 % of them responded.  44 % of PHO's have clinics in their network that are facing closures, 13% had up to five facing closure. Many are restricting patient access in some way; among the reasons given are financial pressure, a lack of GPs, retention and burnout issues. The Kumeu Village Medical Centre is among those desperately trying to balance the books, owner Dr William Ferguson spoke to Lisa Owen.