Coronavirus: Hundreds of doctors have hours cut, while dozens are out of work

General practitioners are at breaking point as hundreds have their hours reduced while nearly 50 have been told not to come back to work.

Other doctors are working for less or no pay as they desperately try to keep practices open.

This comes as the Ministry of Health calls on retired and part-time doctors to return to work to help fight coronavirus.  

A Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) survey has found 600 doctors have had their hours reduced, 47 were out of work and 74 locums - who fill in when doctors are absent - have no work for April. 

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Nearly 900 of the country's 5500 GPs responded to the survey. 

RNZCGP medical director Dr Bryan Betty said medical centres were run on "very thin margins." 

​"We are stretched beyond breaking point and something needs to change urgently.

"We are in a time of national crisis but GPs have become very unstable in parts of the country.

"Basically what's happened is there has been a collapse in the co-payment. Underpinning that is the GP is not fully funded by the government," he said. 

But staff were "trying desperately to keep their practices intact".

"People are working for free or reduced wages," he said.

"We are in the midst of a national health emergency event and GPs and nurses are stepping up to the mark and wanting to work.

"It is odd that this has occurred because of the way this is structured and the way they are funded."

RNZCGP president Dr Samantha Murton said the workforce was already in crisis before the pandemic.

"Add to that the cost of ensuring people are safe in GP clinics, remote consultations reducing patient numbers, a reduction of ACC consultations because there's no sport at the moment, and District Health Boards cancelling elective and non-urgent procedures meaning no follow ups with local doctors, and that has created the perfect storm."

Health Minister Dr David Clark today announced a $15 million payment aimed to support GPs with testing and costs of moving to virtual consultations.

The funding is part of the $500 million Covid-19 health package announced last month and began flowing to GPs this week, he said. 

Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has also promised more funding.

Accent Health Recruitment manager Prudence Thomson said there were a number of doctors looking for work after their jobs had been put on hold. 

Many of them didn't work in urgent health care but some were unable to work during the Covid-19 epidemic because of childcare or other obligations. 

Do you know more about this story? Contact reporter Bridie Witton on bridie.witton@stuff.co.nz 

"Some GPs are the main caregivers so they have had to take time out if they haven't got a carer in their bubble."

A RNZCGP spokeswoman said it was working with the ministry to try to keep doctors in work. 

Some out-of-work doctors had been encouraged to contact NZLocums, which finds work in rural areas. 

Dr Bryan Moore from Temuka Family Practice said general practices had been consistently underfunded. 

Moore, who works alongside his wife, said the pair were each working half days to reduce costs. 

"[We are] Less than a week in and we are in trouble. What of the next three weeks? What if, as looks increasingly likely, it takes longer?"

Onslow Medical Centre partner Dr Shane Dunphy said the practice was triaging patients over the phone and swabbing out of a portacabin. 

But the Johnsonville practice had also seen an 80 per cent drop in business. 

"We normally would have four to five consultants on [each day] and now we are down to two," he said. 

Staff now worked alternate days at centre.

"We are trying very hard to retain our staff. If we can get through this period then things will be ok."

Can I still visit my doctor during Covid-19?

Medical centres around New Zealand have been asked to reduce face-to-face consultations by 70 per cent to reduce the number of sick and vulnerable people gathering in practices. 

Most consultations will take place over the phone, or by videoconference or email - but if you need to see your GP medical professionals will organise this for you. 

You can still call your medical centre for advice but do not turn up without calling in advance. 

If you cannot get through and are severely unwell, for example having trouble breathing, contact emergency services (dial 111).