Dear Ministry of Health,

I have in writing from my GPs office Privacy Officer that they tell all patients they must go to Mole Map for skin cancer checks. I asked this as I was refused until I mentioned capitation funding. The stated reason is that their doctors are “only generalists” and thus are “not able” to do skin checks. They also took over $8,500 in capitation funding or me.

1. Please fully and with detail describe to me the difference between a “generalist” doctor not able to check skin and make referrals and the more usual “general practitioner” who we know is the first step in public referral for skin cancer checks and referral to further public services..
2. If patients are told their general practitioners are generalists thus do not do skin cancer checks how do people, unable to afford private treatment at Mole Map having been told to go there, obtain a referral to the hospital system for more specialised health check or any care at all and what does capitation funding cover?
3. How do patients know if they are seeing a “generalist” or the usual GP general practitioner please? I have never heard of such a thing before.

Yours faithfully,

Gregory Soar