New healthcare-focused school subject could jump start next generation of workers - doctor

A new healthcare-focused high school subject could jump start the next generation of medical professionals, a Northland provider says.

That included a course on "health services and care", which Ngāti Hine Health Trust clinical advisor Dr Mataroria Lyndon said would be a great opportunity to attract youngsters to the sector.

"I came through as a doctor and did my training but never had the opportunity to be exposed earlier, especially at high school," Dr Lyndon said.

"Part of the learning will be around understanding care situations, communication... And then expose them at an earlier stage to the different types of health roles, whether that be medicine, nursing, community carers, mental health workers."

He said students would have a chance to observe different types of health roles in real world settings, which he hoped would include Ngāti Hine clinics.

"As a subject now going forward it'll help young people see a place for themselves in healthcare and in the community workforce," he said.

"Traditionally we might think of health workers as doctors and nurses, but those at the Ngāti Hine Health Trust for example... There are community carers, there are podiatrists, nutritionists, community health workers, health promotion, it's just a good opportunity to have those pathways into the health workforce much earlier."

He hoped students would feel inspired to enter the health workforce at a time when it was facing severe shortages.

"We're among the largest providers in Northland, so hopefully we can grow our own workforce to have more students in Northland studying earlier," Dr Lyndon said.

"Today's students are tomorrow's health professionals, so it's exciting to see these opportunities."