Nicole Keach is struggling to get her life back on track because Oamaru medical practices are not accepting new patients.
The 20-year-old, who recently moved to Oamaru, needs a doctor to get regular epilepsy medication and to work towards regaining her driver’s licence.
But she is struggling to do either, because the town’s medical practices have no spaces for new clients.
"I’m trying to get my life back together, and to do that, I need to be enrolled with a doctor down here," she said.
Ms Keach moved to Oamaru from Wellington last month.
Since then, she has been unable to see a doctor.
None of the six Oamaru practices — South Hill Medical, Junction Doctors, Central Medical, Te Kaika, Oamaru Doctors and North End Health Centre — is accepting new patient enrolments.
She was diagnosed with focal epilepsy last year and lost her licence because of it, she said.
She was prescribed medicine and had been seizure-free for six months.
She needed to see a doctor to get repeat prescriptions and begin the process of getting her licence back.
To get her licence, she needed an appointment with a neurologist.
But to do that she needed a doctor to refer her to the specialist, she said.
"I would like to get the ball rolling with that — neurologist and everything — so I can get my licence back as soon as I can," she said.
"I’m having to rely on family and other people for car rides, which is not ideal. I would rather have my own mode of transport.
"I’m hoping I can still just make phone calls to my doctor in Wellington to get the prescription medication I need."
She had been told to expect a one-to-two-month wait before her enrolment would be reviewed.
Her aunt, Brenda Erasmus, said she was shocked Ms Keach could not get a doctor in Oamaru.
"It’s unbelievable," she said.
"It shouldn’t be like that for a young girl," she said.
She could not believe the situation her niece was in.
"Are we living in a Third World country?"
Most of the practices have a waiting list of people who cannot be registered until another patient leaves.
Te Kaika Oamaru has not accepted enrolments since the beginning of the year, but is making a list of people to enrol when there is space.
South Hill Medical has not been able to accept enrolments since it lost a doctor about a month ago.
It is understood Oamaru Doctors is not accepting new enrolments. The practice declined to comment.
North End Health Centre and Junction Doctors have not accepted enrolments since the end of June. Central Medical is at capacity but using a waiting list system.
WellSouth Primary Network chief executive Andrew Swanson-Dobbs said Oamaru was not the only place affected by a shortage of general practitioners.
"Capacity for general practices to take on new patients is a national issue, and there are places across New Zealand experiencing challenges," he said.
He acknowledged people unable to find a practice might find the situation stressful.
"In Oamaru, we have been made aware of a possible difficulty for some people to access general practice and will work with the community, practices and care providers to monitor the situation," he said.
"We encourage people in Oamaru who can’t enrol to contact the WellSouth call centre on 0800 478-256 and talk to our call centre staff for advice."
