Vouchers for free GP visits are among initiatives worth $370,000 approved this week by the Southern Primary Health Organisation.
Chief executive Ian Macara said the PHO approved $50,000 over two years for the voucher scheme, to enable "high-needs" patients to visit the doctor.
He said a similar scheme had been in place in Invercargill for several years.
It would now be rolled out to all of Otago and Southland.
Other programmes approved (with funding over two years) are support for Pacific Island health workers; support for palliative care services in patients' homes in Invercargill; nurse services at Nightcaps; primary mental health services for patients under 18 in Central Otago and Waitaki; early intervention services for pregnant women and women with babies up to 12 months of age in Eastern Southland; and breast-feeding classes and lactation consultant support in Clutha, Waitaki and Central Otago.
Community advisory group chairman Tony Hill, of Queenstown, agreed the just-approved programmes underlined a shift back to site-specific programmes. Since its formation in 2010, the super-PHO, an amalgamation of nine PHOs, emphasised "equality of access" across Otago and Southland, with entitlements aimed at "high-needs" patients.
Mr Hill said the PHO's view had "evolved", and it realised there was still a place for site-specific programmes.
Mini-programmes engendered "huge benefits" for relatively small amounts of funding, he said.
High-needs patients are classed as Maori, Pacific Island or those living in deprived socio-economic areas.
