New data from leading healthcare provider ProCare suggests it’s getting easier for people to enrol with their local GP, with the share of practices open to new patients reaching its highest level in five years.

A review of practices in the ProCare Network found that 91% of practices were accepting new patients in the January to March quarter of this year.

This marks a significant improvement from 2025, when the proportion of practices open to new patients was at its lowest in at least the past five years, at only 83%.

Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at ProCare, says the figures are encouraging for patients and whānau looking to access primary care, particularly after several years of intense pressure across general practices.

“Being able to enrol with a local GP is one of the most important gateways into the health system, to manage health issues earlier, and get help before problems become more serious. When people aren’t enrolled, they’re more likely to delay care until something becomes urgent. Encouraging and supporting people to register with a GP helps shift care earlier, keeps people well for longer, and reduces avoidable pressure on emergency and secondary services.”

She says in Auckland, where ProCare practices are based, an estimated 89,000* individuals are not currently enrolled with a GP.

“With more practices now able to take new patients, this is a real opportunity to reconnect people with primary care and help them establish an ongoing relationship with a GP close to home.

For those enrolled, distance to their current GP and the associated time and costs, could still become a barrier.

“We know of patients who have been travelling long distances across Tāmaki Makaurau to stay with the GP they trust, because there were no local alternatives. While that loyalty speaks volumes about the value of strong GP-patient relationships, it can also create pressure on individuals and families.

“We are also seeing more patients forego appointments with their doctor as they weigh up the cost of travel, fees, and taking time off work, making proximity to care even more important at a time when many household budgets are stretched.

“With more practices now able to take new patients, this is a real opportunity to reconnect people with primary care and help them establish an ongoing relationship with a GP close to home,” says Norwell.

“Research in New Zealand has found that seeing the same GP over time is associated with higher quality care, better patient experience, and lower healthcare costs. Additionally, there is also strong evidence that patients achieve better health outcomes when they see the same GP regularly, including improved management of long-term conditions, fewer hospital admissions, and more effective preventative care. Continuity of care remains one of the key strengths of general practice in Aotearoa,” points out Norwell.

She says the reasons practices close their books vary, but funding settings and staff resource have been key factors. Fast-growing areas around the region also faced added pressure from rapid population growth.

A number of significant reforms announced by the Government in 2025, including funding improvements, workforce growth programmes and investment in digital health services, were supporting progress on patient access, she says. It is positive to see that investments in primary care are making a tangible difference for clinicians and their patients.

ProCare has also supported this progress across its Network of more than 1,500 healthcare professionals, with workforce recruitment and support through HealthForce NZ, digital innovations through Health Accelerator such as robots and clinical scribes, and expanded community outreach services like Ara Hauora to reach underserved populations. Additional support, including afterhours and overflow care through CareHQ and leading the delivery of programmes such as CPCT, has helped practices improve access and respond to demand.

However, Norwell cautions that challenges remain. “This improvement is a promising sign of some recovery, however, there is more to do to continue to invest in primary care, reduce unnecessary red tape and administration and provide a better experience for patients accessing care.

She says with the support of new funding and pathways, many ProCare practices were developing broader, more flexible care teams to provide tailored support for patients and create more appointment space for GPs. These include roles like nurse practitioners, prescribing pharmacists, health improvement coaches, care coordinators and extended care paramedics working within practices, and Community Care Teams working directly within local communities.

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The review looked at the enrolment status of practices in the ProCare Network (just shy of 150 practices) during the January to March quarter between 2022 and 2026. Across the five-year period, the 2026 result represents the strongest proportion of reported enrolment access. Key findings:

• 91% of practices were open to new enrolments in January to March 2026. This was up from 83% in the same period in 2025.
• 9% of responding practices were closed to new enrolments in January to March 2026. This was down from 17% in the same period in 2025.
• 2026 marks the highest share of practices open to enrolments in the five-year period reviewed. It’s also the first year in the five-year period that the share of practices closed to enrolments dropped below 10%.

*Estimated non-enrolled individuals in Auckland is based on Health NZ’s January 2026 Access to Primary Care data for Auckland, Counties Manukau, and Waitematā.

Sourced from:https://www.healthnz.govt.nz/about-us/health-data/data-sets-and-collections/primary-care-data-and-statistics/enrolment-with-a-general-practice-and-primary-health-organisation