Where have all the doctors gone? Changes in the geographic distribution of general practitioners in New Zealand since 1975 (3): New Zealand and foreign medical graduates compared.

Since 1980 new immigration restrictions have reduced the inflow of foreign doctors into New Zealand. These moves not only have changed the composition of the general practitioner workforce, but also have affected its distribution. Data for 1976-87 suggest that market forces have yet to result in New Zealand graduates locating in large numbers in the rural and poorer urban locations that were once the main destinations of FMGs. Also any gains resulting from the targeting of smaller numbers of new FMGs into areas of need have been largely offset by the outmigration of already established foreign doctors. Therefore it is suggested that cuts in immigration are incompatible with market based policies which seek to improve the distribution of general practitioners since limiting the supply of foreign doctors can only slow the pace of any market led redistribution. Seen in this light, recent changes which have limited the inflow of FMGs into New Zealand may well be premature.