Otago GPs have been asked to stop referring patients for both public and private appointments, as it is clogging the system.
In this month's Southern District Health Board GP liaison newsletter, Dunedin orthopaedic surgeon Michael Chin, who works in the public and private sectors, requested GPs only refer patients one way.
"Unfortunately, all [a double referral] does is mean that a number of patients have unnecessary appointments, don't come or get confused... The net effect is to increase the wait for everybody."
Mr Chin told the Otago Daily Times double referrals "wasted" the public sector's time because while most people did not turn up to the second appointment, they did not notify the hospital.
Some people, particularly the elderly, were confused and attended both public and private appointments.
Mr Chin believed there had been an increase in patients referred to both sectors, which could partly be a consequence of an expectation ACC was more likely to turn down patients because of its tightened criteria.
Mr Chin said while GPs had good intentions, it was unfair to people who could not afford private healthcare or health insurance because it made the waiting times for them even longer.
