The Salvation Army is running a free doctor's service in West Auckland this month.
The service will operate one day a week in the Salvation Army’s Waitakere centre for four weeks in July, the Salvation Army said in a statement.
It will be run in collaboration with home-visiting doctor service NZ Home Doctors, which will provide a GP to see patients if required.
"Substandard housing and poor heating often lead to sickness and people don't always get to a doctor when they should," the Salvation Army's national director of community ministries, Jono Bell, said.
It comes after new Ministry of Helath's data showing one in seven adults, or 15 per cent, reported not visiting a GP due to the cost.
"It's not only the fees that can be a barrier, but also transport costs to get there," Mr Bell said. "Even with free doctors' visits for children under 13, if there's no car, no petrol and no bus money, it's near impossible for some whanau."
The Salvation Army is appealing for more donations from the public as part of their Winter Appeal , which runs from July 8 to the end of the month.
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