Although new Oamaru residents are complaining they are being put on waiting lists or turned away completely when trying to enrol with some general practitioners, the Southern Primary Health Organisation (PHO) says people should not have an issue finding a doctor.
At the Waitaki Newcomers coffee group at the Oamaru Opera House yesterday, residents who arrived in the town late last year said they had no trouble registering with a doctor, but people who arrived this year reported that the situation had ''obviously changed''.
Lynn Malin arrived in January and found it ''strange'' that she, her husband and four children were placed on a waiting list when they tried to register at one practice in Oamaru, after being turned down at others.
She said she was accepted immediately by Dr Lay at the Malcolm Lay Medical Trust.
Evelyn Sutton, who came from Taranaki, said she was turned down by staff at one practice because they ''had no space''.
''I put on a poorly face and was accepted at [another practice] but they appear to be mostly locums there and I don't see the same doctor every time.''
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was still commuting to Christchurch to see her doctor, because she had been told repeatedly by Oamaru locals that ''it would be very difficult'' to find a doctor in Oamaru.
However, Southern PHO manager Jennifer Brown said ''the majority'' of Oamaru's five practices were open to new enrolments and the PHO did not consider the town to have a doctor shortage.
''There have been times in the past when it may have been difficult to find a doctor, but the current situation is that people shouldn't be finding it difficult to find a doctor and to find a practice to be enrolled with.
''Most of the practices are open to new patients. There are a couple of new doctors that have recently joined practices in Oamaru, so the GP resources have actually been enhanced.''
Ms Brown said there were ''at least'' two new doctors in Oamaru and all the town's practices ''worked really hard'' to provide good patient care.
Although there were times when practices were very busy, a ''shared roster'' ensured sick patients were treated, she said.
''The practices work together to make sure that if a patient is sick, whether they are enrolled or not, that they will always get into a practice to get seen.
''Sick patients are never turned away.''
