Public Health Medicine in New Zealand: Practice Characteristics

There are approximately 130 active public health physicians in New Zealand who practice at more than 50% in Public Health Medicine; a further 35 trainees (full time equivalent) are currently in the four year Training Programme. In 1997 a workforce profile was undertaken, which identified four distinct areas of current practice:

  1. High level planning, purchasing and management
    One quarter of the public health physician workforce is engaged in this area, mainly in the Ministry of Health and in the divisions of the Health Funding Authority.
  2. Public health service provision
    One third of the workforce is engaged in the delivery of public health. Most are associated in some way with the public health units in Hospital and Health Services.
  3. Academic public health
    One quarter of the present workforce are employed in academic positions where they have research, teaching, advisory and management responsibilities.
  4. Consultants and clinicians
    A number of public health physicians are self-employed as consultants working under contract in a variety of areas. Currently this number is probably less than 10 but is growing. In addition, approximately 10 public health physicians are working in mainly clinical settings, particularly general practice and occupational health.