Abstract
General practitioner (GP) workforce shortages in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) have led to practices capping their patient enrolments in recent years. Practices closing their books means that people without a current GP or those relocating to another area may have difficulty accessing care, with lower-income and rural patients disproportionately affected. Lack of access to a GP means patients may attend emergency departments for non-urgent issues or delay seeking help, leading to poorer health outcomes.