You will be working in a fast past, supportive rural general practice with a community of around 3000 patients.

The practice would prefer a GP with vocational scope in general practice and the ability to complete complex procedures. They will consider overseas applicants. The role requires working 8 sessions per week alongside PRIME on-call which is shared with PRIME-trained nurses. The practice routinely has walk-in emergencies managed in between appointments.

The practices support their staff to balance work and life, it’s important for them to look after the team as much as they care for the patients.

East Otago Health is located in Palmerston, Otago.  The practice also runs a permanent clinic in the town of Waikouaiti located 14km to the south of Palmerston. East Otago Health is a Rural General Practice and also holds the PRIME contract for the region.  The practice offers a range of services including diabetic checks, CVD, Careplus programmes, blood tests and vaccines. The practice is fully computerised and has permanent broadband internet access.

The practice carries out minor surgeries and deals with trauma cases through the PRIME (Primary Response in a Medical Emergency) scheme. It has laboratory services and additional health professionals in the form of district nurse, physiotherapist and mental health services.

Practice hours are 9am – 5pm, and a late night on Thursdays until 6.30pm, with booked appointments of 15 minutes each. After hours service is 1:6 weekends and every Tuesday night. The practice has a patient base of 2,880, and the average number of patients seen each day is 18 to 20 per GP.

The town of Palmerston, in New Zealand’s South Island lies 50 kilometres to the North of the city of Dunedin. It is the largest town in the Waihemo Ward of the Waitaki District with a population of 890 residents. Palmerston grew at a major road junction: State Highway 1 which links Dunedin and Waikouaiti to the South with Oamaru and Christchurch to the North, whereas State Highway 85 (known colloquially as “The Pigroot”) heads inland to become the principal highway of the Maniototo. The Main Southern railway line railway passes through the town and a tourist train, the Seasider, travels from Dunedin to Palmerston and back once or twice a week.

Palmerston stands near the banks of the Shag River, five kilometres inland from the Pacific coast. Between it and the sea stands the lone hill of Puketapu (Maori for sacred head, known by Southerners as Holy Hill), crowned with a monument to the 19th century Otago politician Sir John McKenzie.

The town has a primary and secondary school, Skateboard Park, nine hole golf course and a heated swimming pool. There is excellent brown trout fishing at the local river winning “the best little river in New Zealand” award.  Other activities include horse riding, windsurfing, hiking and mountain biking.