The Chair of General Practice New Zealand says GP capacity issues are becoming a crisis.

Te Whatu Ora Health NZ says an overloaded primary healthcare system is to blame for more children turning up at hospital.

Bryan Betty says a third of GPs have closed their books, but most are trying to accommodate their base with acute on-the-day appointments, where parents of sick kids can try first.

"If capacity is reached or something happens where you can't get in, then you'd need to go to an after-hours medical centre or you'd need to go to an ED if you are concerned, because the prime thing is the child."

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