NZ Herald
Patients in one of New Zealand’s most impoverished communities are so desperate to see a doctor they’re lining up outside in the cold hours before the clinic opens its doors.
The queue outside Ōtara Local Doctors and Urgent Care starts building from 6am, with those waiting telling the Herald that trying to secure an appointment with other GP clinics often means waiting weeks to be seen.
Even at the Ōtara clinic, which offers a walk-in service, patients said they can face lengthy delays if they’re not there early.
