Senior healthcare workers are disappointed and frustrated by a Whangārei health clinic's decision to begin charging under-14-year-olds for care.
White Cross Whangārei did not previously charge under 14-year-olds for medical care until now.
If a child requires medical care co-payments range from $49 to $72, depending on the age of the child and whether they are registered with a local GP or not.
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton told AM the charge for children is disappointing and frustrating.
"We have just set up a new health system. I know it's only one year old, but one of the key goals of Te Whatu Ora is to reduce health inequities, and forcing families to go to private healthcare providers for basic health needs is not part of that kaupapa. "
White Cross, which is owned by Tamaki Health, Aotearoa's biggest private health company, said inflationary pressures have forced them to "regrettably" introduce the charge.
"These co-payments were driven by significant cost pressures faced by the organisation and all urgent care providers," said chief executive Dr Lloyd McCann.
Dr McCann said based on current funding settings, several Urgent Care Clinics nationwide are in a similar position.
"Many urgent care centres have in fact closed or stopped offering after-hours service because of the funding/costs mismatch."
Dr McCann said White Cross, which is an Urgent Care clinic not a General Practice, does not receive any capitation funding directly for enrolled patients who present during normal hours.
Dr McCann said funding for patients under 14, seen in normal hours comes from the General Medical Services Subsidy. He says that funding hasn't changed since 2002.
"Yet inflationary pressures over the last two decades have been immense."
The lack of funding is a concern shared by Dalton. She told AM the problem Te Whatu Ora has is "the actual overall pot of money they've been given by the Government is not big enough".
Dalton believes Aotearoa has not had a Government in a "long time" that is prepared "to properly fund the true cost of health care".
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