Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

New primary care workers to get on-the-job training

Updated at 10:18 pm on 4 August 2011

An Auckland family doctor says new primary care practice assistants will get on-the-job training, like apprentices.

Health Workforce New Zealand, Waitemata health authorities, AUT University and Unitec Institute of Technology are to pilot a new kind of health worker to help family doctors and practice nurses.

Twenty of the workers, called practice assistants, are to be placed in Auckland general practices over the next two years in a pilot costing Health Workforce New Zealand $400,000.

Dr Lannes Johnson says the assistants will work at GP practices while also being enrolled in tertiary-level study.

The chair of the Nurses Organisation's College of Primary Healthcare Nurses says she works in a general practice where such workers are already employed.

Rosemary Minto says the role is essential to help busy practices cope.

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