A new health clinic is set to open in Pāpāmoa following the news that another is set to close.

The directors of Pāpāmoa Pines Medical Group announced the closure of the clinic this week.

In a post on Facebook, the directors says they "would like to advise you of some changes that are occurring within our practice".

The post goes on to say that the current financial climate for the government funding of General Practice in NZ  is in a very perilous state.

"And this, combined with the prevailing economic conditions and the lack of doctors available to work as GPs both nationally and internationally, has had a huge impact on our ability to viably run two fully staffed medical centres.

"After considerable reflection and exhaustive exploration of ways to recruit more GPs to justify  continuing to operating both medical centres, we have made the decision to embark on a downsizing of our business to ensure our sustainability and our viability long term.

"We have decided to sell our Domain Road Medical Centre and retrench to our newer facility at 191 The Boulevard, Golden Sands, Pāpāmoa from mid April 2024."

Founder & Co-CEO of Kiwi-owned healthcare company Tend Health, Cecilia Robinson expresses her dismay at the Pāpāmoa Pines Medical Centre's closure, stressing its significant impact on the local community.

"Closing Pāpāmoa Pines is a major blow, particularly to the 6000 patients."

She notes GP shortages and funding issues as critical factors.

"Our sympathies lie with the Pāpāmoa Pines team, whose dedication to healthcare in this rapidly growing area has been unwavering."

Cecilia also outlines Tend's proactive approach to this situation, confirming that the centre will reopen with a Tend medical centre.

"In response to the closure, we have been working alongside the Pāpāmoa Pines team to reach a practical solution for quite some time. I'm pleased to share that we plan to reopen the medical centre in June 2024, confirming our commitment to ensuring that Pāpāmoa residents continue to receive the essential healthcare services they deserve, within their own community.

"Our preparations are already well underway," stated Ms Robinson, as she shed light on the dedication to the local community and the ongoing integration already underway to integrate the four local Tauranga clinics, Chadwick  Healthcare, with Tend.

"We are already deeply invested in this community and are committed to integrating our Chadwick practises with our technology and operational process. We recognise the significance of this transition period and are acutely aware of its potential impacts on both our team and the community we support."

Cecilia is asking for support from the community, emphasising the importance of keeping medical services open and accessible in Aotearoa.

"In these times of change, we urge the community for support and patience. Change is challenging, but we're dedicated to a smooth transition.

"We have evidence that post integration satisfaction and timely access to care will improve for our patients."