Physiotherapists' main focus lies on the human body and its structure along with the movements that the body can make in day-to-day life or at a given specific time. This profession allows as of the most allied health professions in the world to provide better care and treatment for people of all ages without a gender difference. Physiotherapists handle a wide range of health conditions including sports injuries and musculoskeletal conditions. More than ever before, at present, physiotherapists are highly involved with treating of chronic health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, osteoarthritis and stroke. Their job role includes assessment, diagnosis, planning, and management of patient care. Their services can be seen in various settings including public and private hospitals, private practices, residential aged care facilities, and various other sports organisations.

 Healthcare System in New Zealand

New Zealand’s healthcare system is among the top 20 healthcare systems in the world and is a universal public system. In 1938, New Zealand brought Social Security Act to legalize the universal and free healthcare. Therefore, public healthcare is free or low-cost for citizens, permanent residents and for those who have valid work visa for two years or more. Every eligible person will have a National Health Index (NHI) number and that will allow them to take needed care within the New Zealand limits as the medical professionals are able to check for any relevant conditions. In New Zealand Health and disability system, language plays a big role as they have Language Assistance Services (LAS) which covers over 300 languages.

New Zealand government is setting direction for upgraded health systems focusing on the different needs of a diverse community under Pae Ora Act. Their health strategies are namely Hauora Maori strategy, Pacific Health strategy, Health of Disabled People strategy, Women’s Health strategy and Rural Health strategy. The aim of this strategy plan is to make changes and take better decisions in order to set the necessary boundaries. Therefore, this will make the path for next government policy statement and the future of health and disability system of New Zealand.

Pros and Cons of New Zealand Healthcare

Even though the New Zealand healthcare sector is structured and guided by the government of New Zealand, the distribution of healthcare practitioners has a disparity. Mainly, the primary care doctors, General Practitioner’s unequal proportion of distribution can be seen according to World Health Organization data. The disproportionate distribution of GPs and primary health care (PHC) services in rural areas compared to non-rural areas was highlighted in the New Zealand Health System Review report of the World Health Organization published in 2014.

The 2011/12 New Zealand health survey demonstrated the inability of getting an appointment, not visit the GP or get after-hours care because of the cost, unavailability of transport to meet a doctor within hours or after hours, and not visit a GP due to lack of childcare.

By the end of 2014, the National Party-led government’s health policy has provided some benefits to the public regarding the above-mentioned disproportionate treatments. That included extending free GP care for children under six to include after-hours consultations. They have also enabled a comprehensive after-hours telephone advice service with access to nurses, General Practitioners and pharmacists. It also included the continuing development of integrated family health centers. They have also reduced waiting times for specialist appointments, reduce waiting time for elective surgery and increase elective surgery by at least 4000 operations a year. Moreover, they have introduced a new immunization target of 95% of eight-month-old children to be fully immunized by the end of 2014 as a reciprocate to the issues aroused in New Zealand's healthcare and disability system.

New Zealand's government always conducts research and through their findings, they implement the best and the most suitable suggestions to improve the quality universal healthcare status of the country. The solutions to their key findings included the development of new ‘whanau ora’ services — including intersectoral services — a key strategy to reduce inequality. The Primary Health Care Strategy, enacted through the development of Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) with population-based funding, is also increasing the focus on population health and preventive care.

Moreover, the healthcare system of New Zealand will further get affected in the future by the global recession, and other social impacts such as unemployment, overcrowded housing growing noncommunicable diseases, and the vast aging population. 

In addition to that, physiotherapy and physiotherapists in New Zealand face dynamic challenges which are unique to the profession.  When it comes to retention and attrition, there is a growing generational gap with the younger workforce having different drivers around personal growth and different work ethics and motivations that are not recognized in the current employment landscape. Physiotherapists who have an average clinical career length of more than 7 years, moving into management or going on parental leave and either not returning or returning to a different role. This has led to a shortage of “mid-tier” experience reflected in the competitive job market and workforce shortages of experienced physiotherapists at this level across sectors, which has to be addressed gravely.

In order to address these emerging issues, it is important that the discipline must address the client's expectations and needs which are changing in around health in general and other positive disruptors exist creating opportunities for physiotherapy. One of the positive disruptors is the client’s need for multidisciplinary centers. If the government and private practices can address this issue, it would be an advantage to both sides contributing to this matter. There are also other opportunities to diversify offerings outside of current funding models such as in order to support clinical operations, some practices are using funding from these types of corporate programs and workplace education. Through community exercise classes clients get to know that physiotherapy-based exercises have more evidence and safety than community yoga or Pilates classes. Health coaching is also another way of opportunity to diversify offerings because it focuses on well-being and quality of life.

As Medfuture, we are always on the lookout for the best physiotherapists to introduce them to the most suitable facility available. As a healthcare recruitment agency, having operations in New Zealand and Australia, Medfuture is also keen on the disproportionate distribution of New Zealand’s healthcare benefits and professionals. Also, we would like to raise awareness through Medfuture article campaigns on the current issues emerging with regard to these medical disciplines. As Medfuture, we believe that our company has an impact on the New Zealand healthcare market and we do our utmost to uphold equity in the distribution of healthcare to the community.