A leading New Zealand doctor, Lance O'Sullivan, is worried a child may die in New Zealand if they're unable to see a doctor, following the death of a five-year-old girl in Wales.
Five-year-old Emma-May Clark died in 2015 after a GP refused to see her after being five minutes late for an appointment.
Dr O'Sullivan, a former New Zealanders of the Year, told TVNZ1's Breakfast today it was the British health system that failed that Ellie-May.
"The doctor was one of the cogs in the machine that was just not working," he said.
Just this week here in New Zealand while doing a digital health programme Dr O'Sullivan says he saw three sick children who had not been able to access a doctor.
He believes the same scenario that happened in Wales could "absolutely" happen in New Zealand.
"We're going to have if it hasn't already happened, a child who is going to be harmed and I believe die as a result of not being able to get to a doctor."
He says evidence shows that one in five children in New Zealand can not get access to a doctor within 24 hours.
"Our current health system will follow the path of the NHS (British public health system) and we're going to have something that will happen."
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