Putting the bricks in place : primary health care services in rural Southland

Abstract

To determine what the challenges are to rural primary health care, and make recommendations to enhance sustainable service provision. My objective is to qualify the future needs of Community Health Trusts. They must meet the Ministry of Health directives regarding Primary Healthcare. These are as stated in the back to back contracts between PHOs and individual medical practices. I have compiled from a representative group of rural patients, doctors and other professionals, facts, experiences, opinions and wish lists regarding primary medical services and its impact upon them, now and into the future. The information was collected by survey and interview and these are summarised within the report.