No official feedback has been received on the free after-hours medical care for children under 6, but it seems to be working in participating GP practices, Southern Primary Health Organisation chief executive Ian Macara says.
He acknowledged Invercargill urgent doctors were yet to sign up, meaning the scheme was not operating in the southern city and some outlying areas.
However, "technically" parents could access free after-hours care for their children at Southland Hospital, so the claim of region-wide coverage was correct.
Late last month, Southern District Health Board and Southern PHO issued a joint press release claiming to have achieved Otago and Southland-wide coverage for the scheme, which came into effect this month.
Mr Macara said this week there was no evidence participating practices in Dunedin and Queenstown were seeing parents present children who did not have urgent ailments, as had been feared by some practices.
One of Dunedin's main after-hours providers, Mornington Health Centre, was yet to sign, and was still considering the matter, Mr Macara said.
Earlier this month, Mornington practice manager Barbara Bridger told the Otago Daily Times the centre would not offer the free visits until it was sure it could safely do so.
She feared the practice could experience a big increase in demand.
The scheme was a National Government election promise last year.
