Dr Adrian Hindes, of Dunedin City GP, said he had become increasingly aware of the need for a different approach to his practice, after working with a community support medical centre over several years.
"We had a reasonably high number of what we call ‘high needs’ patients — those who are of low socioeconomic status — that we figured there was a way to assist them all differently.
"We wanted to find a way to streamline the patients that were struggling and in a low-decile area to have access to lower fees and more accessible services."
A flat fee of $15 would be charged for consultations at the centre — ordinarily, GP consultation fees range from $40 to $65.
Dr Hindes said the Dunedin Community Health centre would be based at the same site as his Dunedin City GP practice.
"We're able to pursue this model through accessing higher capitation rates from the government. We’re not a registered charitable trust — it is a charitable enterprise.
"North Dunedin has some of the highest deprivation rates in the country, so there is an increasing need for this."
He had about 3000 people on his books at Dunedin City GP; he expected at least 500 extra would sign up to the Dunedin Community Health centre.
"There are a lot of people on community services cards who have been calling for a service such as this.
"It doesn't matter, in the end, how many we get — this is a necessary undertaking."
The other major low-cost general practice in Dunedin was Te Kāika Wellbeing Hub in Caversham, which had about 5000 patients on its books.
Unlike Dunedin Community Health, Te Kāika worked off a charitable trust model, which meant it was dependent on donations.
"We needed to make our health centre work another way", Dr Hindes said.
"I would like to see our centre become widely known in the community over the next six months.
"I think it’s a really good thing that we can help people who are struggling — we know those in more deprived demographics have poorer health outcomes."
Dr Hindes will be assisted at the health centre by Drs Keong Hoh and Niranjan Sharma.
They will also provide after-hours arrangements for both clinics.
"Collectively, we have several decades of experience in working in this area of health."
