21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference, 10-13 April 2026: Read More – WONCA 2026 | Home
Rural General Practice Chapter Update
The Rural General Practice Chapter continues to work closely with Hauora Taiwhenua leadership to advocate for sustainable, effective solutions in rural health.
We are pleased to support our CEO, Grant Davidson, who has been actively representing rural general practice at PSAAP funding negotiations and participating in several key subgroup discussions. He has also contributed meaningfully to conversations with the Medical Council regarding the review of supervision requirements for international medical graduates, with a particular focus on ensuring these are appropriate for the rural context. We would welcome your thoughts on how sustainable and safe supervision could best be achieved in rural practices. Please feel free to contact Dr Grahame Jelley, Co-Chair, at drjel@xtra.co.nz.
Dr Jo Scott-Jones, a member of our leadership group, is co-chair of the National Clinical Network for Rural Health. In this role, he provides critical guidance to Te Whatu Ora on rural issues and is also a member of the capitation review committee connected to PSAAP.
Alongside this strategic advocacy work, the Chapter is also contributing to the future of the rural GP workforce through involvement in medical training pathways. Recently, we attended a workshop focused on developing PGY1 and PGY2 rotations in general practice and community settings. These rotations, if recognised by the Medical Council, would offer an alternative pathway to full registration, complementing traditional hospital-based options. There is potential for this to align with the proposed expansion of the NZREX pilot programme, providing an avenue for international medical graduates to qualify through primary care placements. While the outcomes of this work are still pending, we continue to actively participate – noting that the long-term success of such programmes will depend on adequate support for an already stretched rural workforce. We hope these pathways will contribute to strengthening and growing the rural GP workforce in the years to come.
As we look ahead to strengthening the future of rural general practice, maintaining strong communication with our members remains essential. We always welcome your messages and feedback. The Hauora Taiwhenua portal includes both email and chat functions, and we encourage members to use these to share issues and connect with us. Your contributions play a vital role in shaping our collective voice. Thank you for your continued service to our rural whānau – we wish you good health and stable working conditions in the months ahead. Please look after yourselves just as well as you do your patients.
Chapter Membership and Representation
In parallel with our policy and workforce focus, the Chapter has continued to grow and evolve internally. The Rural General Practice Chapter (Te Whare Taumata o Ngā Takutanga Taiwhenua) held its AGM in December. As there were no new nominations, the existing Co-Chairs were reappointed. We also hosted an open meeting at the recent National Rural Health Conference, where members discussed ongoing advocacy efforts, support for membership, and the importance of refreshing our leadership with new and diverse voices, particularly younger rural professionals. A review of our current objectives is also underway, with consideration being given to expanding the chapter’s pastoral and support roles.
We acknowledge and thank Sharon Hanson, who has stepped down from the leadership group. We are delighted to welcome Nurse Practitioner Tania Kemp as her successor. Tania, who now owns and leads the Aotea Health practice on Great Barrier Island, brings a wealth of experience and insight to the team.
Your current Chapter leadership group is:
We are always keen to hear from others interested in joining the leadership group – especially those who can bring fresh perspectives and energy to support the Chapter’s future.
Council Engagement and Meeting Cycle
At the governance level, discussions continue around how best to structure our ongoing input into Hauora Taiwhenua decision-making processes. The Hauora Taiwhenua Board has recently recommended a reduced cycle of meetings to the Council. While the Chapter advocated for a minimum of quarterly meetings, the adopted schedule may be less frequent. These meetings are an important formal channel for chapter feedback into the Board and management, alongside our support for submissions, which are typically developed in a more ad-hoc way as needed.
