Hopes the deployment of specialist bowel doctors throughout the country is decided by the Ministry of Health, rather than District Health Boards.

A new report looks into the capacity and demand faced by the current gastroenterology specialist workforce, in comparison to other countries.

It reveals New Zealand has a lower specialist number per population, and an older workforce.

Report co-author Professor Michael Schultz says a national entity would better distribute specialists around the country.

He says if DHBs choose which specialist goes where, it might not solve the inequity issue.

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