Family Medical Care

Your GP's clinic is your first point of contact when you are feeling unwell and needing assessment of your health and treatment. Our doctors are highly skilled to help with a range of medical conditions. Our GPs will treat you to get better when you visit them. If the illness requires a specialist input or emergency hospital based treatment, they will arrange the referral as required.

Our highly skilled nurses are a part of our team & can help you with general advise related to your health eg. vaccinations etc

Accident Care

We are the first point of contact for our patients for accidental injuries which does not require hospital level care. This will avoid long waits at the Hospital or Accident & Emergency centres to get urgent treatment of various injuries eg. large/deep wounds, back injuries, foreign bodies in eyes, ears & skin, insect bites, minor fractures, sprains etc

Minor Surgery

Minor surgery is our specialty and can be provided at a reasonable cost.

• Vasectomy for family planning
• Circumcision for cultural & medical reasons
• Biopsies of suspected skin cancer
• Ingrown toenail surgery
• Removal of moles & skin tags on the face, neck & rest of the body
• Removal of lumps & bumps of small to large size
• Eyelid surgery for cysts, growths & cholesterol deposits
• Sclerotherapy - Injection of small segments of Varicose Veins

For the above treatments there is no waiting list and avoids long waits in hospital system.

Our clinic is well equipped with a minor surgical procedure room & trained staff.

Prescriptions

Patients who are well-known to the doctor and have a stable long term conditions like asthma, hypertension, heart disease or diabetes can get Telephonic Scripts once in 6 months. Repeat scripts for narcotics and other drugs that could be misused are expected to be monitored by your doctor and not prescribed as repeats. There is a fee for a Repeat Prescription and Telephonic Script.

Lab Results

Significant abnormal results which requires urgent action or needs to be discussed in person are notified to the patient either by telephone, text or by letter. You will have to make an appointment to see your doctor to discuss your results. Non significant results can be discussed during your next visit.

Immunisation

We provide childhood and adult immunisation to all our registered patients and casual patients. The National Immunisation Schedule offers a series of vaccines free to babies, children, adolescents and adults. Visit the Ministry of Health website http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/immunisation/new-zealand-immunisation-schedule to find out which vaccines are on the Schedule and when they are given. Seasonal vaccines like Flue & Measles are provided free to eligible groups considered to be at high risk because of other medical conditions like Diabetes, Asthma, Immunocompromised conditions, heart conditions and cancer patients; Visit website http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/immunisation/new-zealand-immunisation-schedule.

Flue vaccine is also available to non-eligible patients for a small fee.

Some vaccines which are not funded including travel vaccine are given at a reasonable cost. Risks of allergy or complications associated with immunisation are very rare. Immunisation details will be recorded on New Zealand’s National Immunisation Register. This computerised information system holds details of all immunisations given to children. Also it will alert families when immunisations are due. The immunisation record may need to be shown, for example, when starting school or early childcare or later on in adult life when applying for certain jobs.

Family Planning & Contraception

We advise regarding temporary, long term or permanent contraception to our patients.

Temporary contraception is use of condoms, Oral contraceptive pills & Depo provera injection (lasts for 3 months).

Long term contraception is Jadel insertion in the arm & IUD insertion in the uterus both of which lasts for 5 years.

Permanent contraception Vasectomy is performed for men, and tubal ligation for women.

Cervical Screening

All women between the ages of 25 and 69 who have ever been sexually active should have regular cervical smear tests every three years. This helps in early detection of abnormal cells which, if left untreated, could become cervical cancer. Very often these cells are made abnormal by a human papilloma virus (HPV) which is a sexually transmitted virus. Regular tests and treatment reduces the likelihood of this sort of cancer by around 90%. More information is available online - http://www.nsu.govt.nz/current-nsu-programmes/national-cervical-screening-programme.aspx Cervical smears are taken by the doctors or trained nurses.

ECG

ECG is an Electro Cardiogram that records your heart's electrical activity, which is traced on a special paper & the findings assessed by your doctor. It can give information of present or past heart attacks or problems related to the heart rhythm and enlargement of the heart.

Resting ECGs are done in the clinic. If an Exercise ECG is needed a referral is made to a Cardiologist.

Travel Advice & Immunisations

Your GP can advice regarding safe travel and immunisation before you travel overseas. Travelling to third world countries puts you at risk of communicable diseases. In some places you will need protection from Typhoid, Hepatitis B & C, Rabies or Malaria. Yellow Fever vaccinations are only available at approved centres. Your doctor will be able to tell you what diseases you will need to be protected from depending on where you are travelling. You will also be advised what medications to keep with you & when to use it while travelling.

Well Child/Tamariki Ora Health Checks – Birth to Three Years

All New Zealand children are entitled to 11 free health checks from birth to three years. Before 6 weeks of age the check ups are offered by your lead maternity carer - LMC & Plunket. At 6 weeks of age the child undergoes assessment by your GP & 6 week immunisation is carried out if all is well. This is followed by other vaccinations as per ministry of health guidelines. All childhood immunisations are free to the child. More information about Well Child services is available on the Ministry of Health website.

In Person, Video & Phone Consults

What is a virtual consultation?

“Virtual consultations” include phone, email and video consultations; any consultation you can have instead of a consultation in-person.

What do I need to have for a virtual consult?

To have a video consult, you will need a computer or laptop with a camera, a tablet or a smart phone. You will also need a good internet connection. You can use data, but WIFI will give you a better call quality. If you cannot make a video call, your doctor or nurse will talk to you on the phone.

How will I know if I can be treated virtually?

We will advise you whether this option is available for your consult, or this option may be available to you via your online or phone booking system. If you have booked in for a video consult, the practice will provide you with a unique link to your provider’s online waiting room. If you have booked in for a phone consult, it is important you are contactable on the number provided at that time.

Preparing for your video consult

This is what you can do to make to make sure your virtual consult works best for you:

1. Write down what you want to discuss and have a pen and paper available in case you need to write anything down.
2. Consider your privacy - choose somewhere private where you can talk freely and safely. If others are present, let your health practitioner know, you can also use the chat function
3. Hands-free devices offer a better call experience. If you are using a smartphone or tablet, find a way to prop it so you can move around freely
4. Make sure there is no one else streaming information while you are having your consult (if someone is watching a video on the wi-fi network you are using, your video quality maybe poor)
5. Visit the online waiting room 5-10 minutes before your appointment time, check in and test your audio and video. Your health practitioner will start the call when they are ready.
6. Check you are clear about instructions for medication, work certificates, blood or other tests, self-care advice at home, and warning signs you need to seek further care.

How can I get my medication?

Your health practitioner can prescribe/ arrange medication in all consults. They will send your prescription to your local pharmacy. Pharmacies are open for you to go and collect your medications. Some pharmacies may have a delivery option available – check if your pharmacy has this option available. How much is a virtual consultation? The cost will be the same as if you were visiting your medical centre.