The quiet enshittification of healthcare
(and why relationships still matter)
Happy 2026 everyone!! Like many of you, I spent part of summer with younger family members. In my case, some Gen Z nieces whom I totally adore. One thing I noticed straight away was the language. It was English, technically, but used very differently. At times I had no idea what they were talking about.
But my new favourite word has to be:
Enshittification.
It describes what happens when systems slowly stop serving people and start serving scale, profit, and efficiency instead. Things still work….most of the time - but something important quietly erodes.
Healthcare is not immune.
When healthcare becomes a transaction
Across New Zealand, we’re seeing more corporate-owned GP clinics and pharmacy chains. Bigger groups. Centralised systems. Targets. KPIs. Flashy slogans. Celebrity endorsements. Pretty imagery. Everything “more betterer”.
On the surface, this can look like progress. And to be fair, some of these changes are genuinely helpful.
But there’s a trade-off we don’t talk about enough.
When healthcare becomes more transactional, relationships lose out. Continuity suffers. And that matters far more than most of us realise.
The hidden cost of 12-month prescriptions
Twelve-month scripts are often framed as a win. Fewer GP visits. Lower costs. More convenience.
For some people, in some situations, that’s true.
But here’s the quiet downside.
If you’re not seeing your GP or your pharmacist regularly, a lot doesn’t get checked. Blood pressure. Weight changes. Medication side effects. Adherence. Subtle warning signs.
High blood pressure is called the silent killer for a reason. You don’t feel it, you don’t notice it - until something goes wrong.
Seeing your healthcare team regularly isn’t about being inconvenient - its about getting the best healthcare you deserve.
Continuity of care saves lives
A recent Cambridge study highlighted something many patients know, but systems often forget. Continuity of care matters.
People who consistently see the same healthcare team have better outcomes.
Where community pharmacies fit in
This is where independent, locally owned pharmacies quietly do their best work.
We notice when you haven’t picked up your blood pressure medication. We ask how you’re actually feeling on that new tablet. We remember which blood pressure pill made you cough. We know which cholesterol medicine you stopped because of muscle pain. We check your blood pressure because no one else has.
Not because a system tells us to, but because we know you.
Roslyn Pharmacy is built different
At Roslyn Pharmacy, relationships isn’t the latest trendy marketing buzzword - its how we’ve always worked.
Staff have been here for over 20 years. The pharmacists looking after you aren’t rotating every few months. They’re experienced, settled, and invested in this community.
We’re not trying to move you through faster and sell you stuff you don’t need - we’re trying to look after you better.
If your current pharmacy feels anonymous.
A bit disconnected.
Or maybe just a little bit sh*t.
It might be time to change.
Thanks for taking the time to read through this article - as always if anything here interests you don’t ever hesitate to reach out - till next time -
Andy and the team at Roslyn Pharmacy - Dunedins Friendliest Pharmacy