Your Health

Keep up with the latest health and wellbeing news

July Newsletter 2023

Patient Prescriptions

From Wednesday 5 July, we will be implementing electronic-prescriptions. This will replace hard copy/printed prescriptions.

During your doctor consultation, your prescription will be electronically sent via our patient management system (secure and confidential computer system – where the doctor enters your medical records) directly to the pharmacy of your choice by the doctor at that time.

This same electronic process is used for both the doctor consultation when a prescription is completed and if you request a repeat prescription via our telephone system.

For a Repeat Prescription Request, when you call our practice and leave a message on the repeat prescription line, please continue to leave your name, date of birth, what medications you are needing and now, please add in which pharmacy you would like your prescription sent to.

We will only contact you (as we do now) if you need to see the doctor for a medication review or if there is an issue with a medication you are requesting on the repeat prescription line.

Invoices will either be emailed out to you or posted if you do not have an email address. You can continue to pay your invoice as you do now.

This new service is an important element in improving the quality of patient care, while reducing paper usage which has a positive impact on the environment.
This service is being rolled out across the country.

Patient Fees

From Monday 31 July, our patient General Practice Fees will be increasing. This does not include Community Service Card holder (CSC) fees, or Prescription fees, these remain unchanged. An up to date list will be available on our website in the coming weeks and on our reception fees board.

Health and Safety

All patients and visitors to the practice are asked to continue to wear a mask while in the medical centre. Please do not come into the practice if you are unwell with any Respiratory, Flu and/or Cold/COVID symptoms.

Health and Wellbeing Promotion

Hongongoi | July

July 14 – Matariki – Māori New Year
Manawa maiea te putanga o Matariki

Akuhata | August

9 August – International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
Did you know? Globally, 47% of all indigenous peoples in employment have no education, compared to 17% of their non-indigenous counterparts. The gap is even wider for women. More than 86% of indigenous peoples globally work in the informal economy, compared to 66% for their non-indigenous counterparts. Indigenous peoples are nearly three times as likely to be living in extreme poverty compared to their non-indigenous counterparts.

25 August – Te Ra Daffodil – Daffodil Day (Cancer Society)

Mahuru | September
Some of the many health and wellbeing events to be aware of this month:

Cervical Screening awareness month
Blue September, Prostate Cancer awareness month
World Alzheimer’s month
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder awareness month
11-18 September – Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori – Māori language week
18-24 September - Mental Health awareness week

Staffing Updates:

We have had two new staff members join our team recently, Sarah Watts, Practice nurse who replaces Rohini who moved overseas and Kelly Phelps, Receptionist who replaces Karen who has cut back her working hours to spend more time with her new mokopuna - grandchild. I know you will join me in welcoming our new members to the practice.