Routine Health Care

Services include:

• Standard Appointment -The usual appointment time is about 10-15 minutes but feel free to ask for a shorter or longer appointment. A short single problem review may cost much less. If you require more time than requested, it is unfair on others who then have to wait, so don't save up problems (or if you do don't be surprised if you are asked to come back). New patient (first visit), "medicals", minor surgery and multiple problems all need longer appointments.
  However delays can occur because of emergencies and other unforeseen circumstances, so it is a good idea to bring a book and not schedule an important appointment shortly after your GP appointment!

• Accidents -We pride ourselves in good care of sprains, skin tears and cuts as well as removal of foreign bodies from various locations. Major trauma should go direct to the Hawera Emergency Department (ED). If in doubt, ring us. PLEASE NOTE - ACC does not fund the full cost of GP visits for some illogical reason so there is almost always a "shortfall" co-payment.

• Repeat Prescriptions -we have identified "repeat prescriptions" as a major reason for poor health outcomes as there is a tendency to allow problems to mount up until they are bad enough to see the GP. It is not possible to deal with multiple problems adequately in a normal consultation, with both delays for others and poor outcomes resulting. Therefore, REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE FOR UNCHANGED LONG TERM MEDICATIONS WHEN NO PROBLEMS EXIST AND THERE HAS BEEN A REVIEW WITHIN 6 MONTHS, otherwise patients must be seen, and if there are no problems, the consultation can be short (and inexpensive).

  Since this policy was introduced, problems are being seen earlier.

• Home Visits -available for bed-bound or terminal care patients only. All others are encouraged find transport to the surgery as this allows more time and access to better facilities (and will be cheaper). In extreme emergencies a 111 call is often the most sensible way to access immediate help.

• Laboratory and X-Ray results -we do not routinely ring if your tests have been normal but you will be contacted if you have had a test that is significantly abnormal. You may contact us to get the results (2-3 days for blood tests, cultures and X-Rays, 10+ days for biopsies and smears). You may need to get an appointment to review your results if there is a serious ploblem. Please note that we do not provide any "Patient Portal" for on-ine result viewing and do not provide email or other on-line advice about or interpretation of results.

• Fees and Accounts - please pay your fee at the time of consultation as we do not run accounts (just like most other small business). Cash, EFTPOS or on-line direct payment methods are all welcome. An increased fee may be incurred for longer or more involved consultations, or if special equipment and/or materials are used. . If you are having difficulties paying your fee, talk to the receptionist about options, but we cannot run a business on bad debts. [See "Fee schedule" or Affording fees.]

• Forms and Certificates - it is policy not to complete these without seeing the patient as information is often needed from him/her or there can be medico-legal consequences. Insurance medicals are an exception and are a real pain, taking a huge amount of time to research the silly questions, so they are billed accordingly. You can reduce the time (and COST) of these appointments by filling in all the patient details and patient questions sections of these forms before the consultation.

• Medical Alarm Forms- PLEASE note that Work and Income only fund these through a Disability Allowance (so a single person earning over $786.69 before tax per week will not qualify), have on ongoing (over 6 months) health disability AND meet the criteria [Increasing unsteadiness; Increasing age; History of falls; Dementia; Cardio-vascular disease or Stroke]. To help understand if you meet any of these criteria there are some "Scenarios for reference" examples appended to the Medical Alarm assessment form you should have been given by the agency supplying the alarm (if this has been removed by the agent it probably means you don't qualify so click on the link to read these). I REQUIRE you to have read these BEFORE making an appointment as I have to state that you believe you meet the criteria and it is frustrating to have a wasted consultation just to tell someone they don't qualify. You do have to have a face-to-face consultation to confirm you do meet the criteria.

• Routine Vaccinations -as well as the Immunisation Schedule, Influenza Vaccination (in Autumn) and COVID-19 trivalent boosters are recommended (and free) for all people over 65, and adults with any chronic illness, e.g. diabetes, lung disease etc. Health care workers and teachers are also advised to have a "flu shot" but are not free! Contact the surgery for a 'Flu shot but we can't offer the COVID-19 boosters, you will need to go to Book My Vaccine and select "COVID-19 vaccine" then "Pfizer" then "Hāwera, New Zealand".

• Full Medical review/"check-up" (see "Health Check") -please note: this service cannot be performed in a 10-15 minute standard consultation but is arranged AFTER the Nurse Health Check (and blood tests).