Dr Grant Davidson – February 2026

Kia ora tātou

It’s not often we ask for your help; we are normally here to help you!  In this case, we are keen to get your support to help us maintain our rural recruitment and locum service for the sector.

Many of you will be aware that a major part of the work we do is running a recruitment and locum service for rural general practice. This service was originally negotiated with the Ministry of Health back in 2003 by the Board of the NZ Rural General Practice Network at the time, with Government representatives. The proven need back then was to help rural practices recruit GPs and NPs at no cost to those practices. Also, to provide short-term locum relief to allow doctors to take time off and revitalise, when they were under constant pressure to meet the needs of their communities 24/7. It was recognised that many rural practices were too busy and overwhelmed with their patients to carry out the work of recruiting new or temporary staff – often from overseas. That attraction and recruitment role was onerous, time-consuming and expensive. Competing with urban practices to attract staff added to the complications. A compelling case was put to Government officials, which resulted in the first contract being awarded in December of that year.

Since then, first NZRGPN, and then more recently Hauora Taiwhenua, have been running these services through our NZMedJobs & NZLocums team. That team takes vacancies from rural practices around the country, as well as requests for short term locum relief. Where there are critical shortages of clinicians in a particular practice or area of rural New Zealand, we will ‘Hot Spot’ that region for immediate attention. The team advertise internationally, attend conferences, and, more recently run social media campaigns, to attract GPs and NPs to move to rural New Zealand and take up roles. Interestingly, our current Chair, Dr Fiona Bolden, our current Clinical Director, Dr Rebekah Doran, and the Chair of our Rural GP Chapter, Dr Robin Baird, are all examples of internationally trained doctors who moved to NZ to answer the call.

We also maintain a pool of New Zealand-based locum doctors and NPs who are available to travel to different parts of the country to offer short-term relief to various practices.  Often, clinicians later in their careers find this a rewarding work opportunity, where they don’t have to commit to full time employment, but can still offer their skills and experience to rural communities and rural primary care teams for agreed periods.

Over those 23 years, we have consistently exceeded our placement targets, while providing a valuable service to those rural practices and communities, with no recruitment fees being charged. We have also responded to national Crises to help rural practices. During the COVID pandemic, again following Cyclone Gabrielle, and after the recent weather events in Northland and East Cape, we mobilised our team to arrange locum doctors, nurses and other staff to assist practices that were under duress. Our team were recognised by the Minister with a special COVID response award for our efforts.

Government procurement rules state that the Contract must be reviewed at certain periods, made contemporary to reflect the current state of rural health provision that needs support, and then advertised publicly to get good value for the taxpayer investment. We are now at that point in the cycle, with a new National Rural Recruitment and Locum Support Services tender being advertised on the GETS website.

It has been 23 years since that first contract was signed, and as most of you realise, the shortage of clinicians in our rural and remote practices hasn’t improved. Some would say the pressures are worse as many GPs and NPs reach retirement age without natural successors for their practices.

Over the last three weeks, we have been busy putting together a case to retain the Locums Contract to continue offering this vital service. We know that a number of medical recruitment agencies are preparing to bid for the contract, but we believe that our intimate connection to rural practices, rural health workers and rural communities is special and sets us apart in providing a personalised and authentic service.

As part of our proposal, we request a reference or testimonial from you. Please share your experience if you are: a practice that has used our service, a locum or IMG we have placed, or a community supported by us through doctor or NP placements. Your personal stories help us demonstrate the real value we deliver and prove our suitability to continue providing these services.

If this resonates with you, then please send a short one-page letter to me that I will enclose with our proposal.

Thanks again for your help. The team here look forward to serving rural New Zealand for some time to come.

Ngā mihi nui

Grant