The $400,000-a-year New Zealand job with three months' holiday that no one wants

(THE GUARDIAN)

ANewZealandGPsayshehasfailedtofindsomeonetofillavacancyathispracticedespitethepromiseofa$400,000income.Photograph:DanHimbrechts/AAPIMAGE

AruralGPinNewZealandisofferinga$400,000(£190,000)annualincometotryandattractamedictosharehisworkburden–butaftertwoyearsofsearchingthepositionremainsunfilled.

DrAlanKennyco-ownsamedicalpracticeinthemodestWaikatotownofTokoroaontheNorthIsland–population13,600.

TheGP–originallyrecruitedfromtheUK–toldTheNewZealandHerald hispracticehas“exploded”,butheisover–workedandhasrepeatedlyhadtocancelholidaysbecauseofthedifficultyoffindingareplacementorlocumdoctor.

“Icanofferthemareally,reallyamazingincome;it’sincredible.Mypracticehasexplodedinthelastyearandthemorepatientsyoulist,themoremoneyyouget.Butitjustgetstoomuchattheendoftheday.”

TwoyearsagoDrKenny’sdaughterSarahcametoworkasaGPatthepractice,tolearnfromherfatherandhelprelievethepressure.DrSarahKennyistheonlyNewZealanddoctorworkingatherfather’spractice.

Aswellastheheftysalary,DrKennyisofferingtherightapplicantthreemonthsannualleave,nonightorweekendwork–andahalfshareinthepractice,whichhas6000patientsonit’sbooks.Butdespitethegenerousconditionshehashadnoapplicationsinfourmonths.

“IlovemyworkandIwouldliketostaybutIhitmyheadagainstabrickwalltryingtoattractdoctors,”DrKennytoldtheHerald.

“Ifit’shardenoughtogetdoctorstoworkalongsideme,it’sgoingtobeadevilofajobtogetdoctorstoreplaceme.”

TheNewZealandRuralGeneralPracticeNetwork’sdeputychiefexecutiveLindaReynoldssaidthemajorityofruralGPvacancieswerefilledbyinternationalmedicalgraduates(IMGs).

ThetypicalsalaryforaruralGPwasbetweenNZ$150Kto280K,shesaid,andvacanciestookbetweentwotothreeyearstofillonaverage.

“WerelyheavilyonIMGs,butthemajoritywhocomestayonashorttermbasis.Thedemandisconstantandgrowing.”

ReynoldssaidcontributingfactorstotheruralGPshortagewereisolation,lackofschoolingoptionsandsocialactivities,andgoodaccesstobroadbandnetworks.