Rural health and the Regional Rural Advisory Group

Rural practices make up 30 per cent of the Pinnacle general practice network with our 36 rural practices who look after the needs of 168,000 people across GCH R1,2,3 communities across Te Manawa Taki. 

• 40 per cent of our rural population are Māori
• 73 per cent of rural Māori live in areas of high deprivation. 

Rural communities face specific problems due to “the tyranny of distance”. Access is the rural issue – access to services, access to diagnostics, access to secondary care support, access to locums, access to continuing professional development.

The RRAG meets regularly and links into Hauora Taiwhenua and to Te Whatu Ora's rural team, Dr Scott-Jones co leads the National Clinical Network Rural Health. 

The current members are:

• Jo Scott Jones – Chair
• Dr Brendan Eade – Te Aroha
• Dr Roger Smith – Dallas Clinic 
• Dr Keith Buswell – Te Kuiti Medical Centre
• Dr Michael Miller – Whangamata 
• Lorraine Macallister – Mercury Bay Medical Centre
• Mike Loten – West Cost
• Nick Loveridge – Oakura Medical
• Rebecca Townsend – Whangamata Medical Centre.

If you are interested in attending the RRAG meetings at any time, or want to put yourself forward for membership please contact drjo@pinnacle.health.nz.