General Information

House Calls

Yes, we do house calls. If you require one, please phone as early in the day as possible, so that it can be arranged.

It is usually much easier for us to see you at the Surgery. If you can possibly get in to see us then please do. We have more resources in the way of equipment when we see you at the Surgery.

An extra fee will be charged for visits, reflecting the time and distance involved.

Wheelchair

We now have wheelchair access and a collapsible wheelchair if you have trouble getting from your car to the surgery. Please ask at reception.

Cardiovascular Risk Assessments

Keeping you well as you age is important to us. One important aspect of a quality modern health system is identifying patients at risk of certain diseases and correcting the correctable before damage is done. We offer a a range of very comprehensive health checks to enrolled patients. This includes cardiovascular risk factors and other tests age and gender appropriate. Some of these checks are free to certain groups. We hope in time to widen the scope of these well person preventative assessments.

Accidents

We are able to deal with most accidents. You can avoid the wait at the Southland Hospital A+E Department.

ACC contributes to the cost. A part charge of $27 applies plus $12 fee for the registration of a new ACC Claim.

We can easily access Radiology (Xrays) via Southland Radiology in town.

Sickness and ACC Certificates

Sickness certificates and ACC forms can be a source of concern.

Strict legal and ethical restrictions are imposed on Doctors supplying certificates to Patients.

A certificate may only be issued after the Patient has been examined by the Doctor. It cannot be issued in response to a telephone call by the Patient, or by somebody calling on the Patient’s behalf. We are not allowed to backdate a certificate, nor usually write one in advance.

Pregnancy Tests

Accurate pregnancy tests can be performed on urine samples while you wait. This service is free. This test is very sensitive and will often detect a pregnancy within a few days of the first missed menstrual period.

Maternity Care

After active involvement in Maternity care over many years we have opted out of providing publicly funded maternity care. Compliance with Ministry of Health bureaucracy is just too hard. We have good relationships with many local midwives and can assist women contact a midwife for their care.

Privacy Issues

Patient privacy is very important to us. In recent years there have quietly been changes in the NZ health sector that we feel reduce patient privacy at the price of collecting better national health information. As informed patients you need to be aware of some of these. The advent of the National Health Index ( NHI) numbers (a national patient identification number means all health system “transactions” wit hthe health system such as doctor visits, laboratory tests, prescriptions are recorded in computers and could be matched by people with access to these data repositories. Furthermore in order to access funding from our PHO we must make reports to them of our activities and the quality of our services. Sometimes this might include NHI numbers which identifies you.

We see our role as guardians of your privacy as very important and for further reading see or the office of the New Zealand Privacy commissioner. Here is a link to a.pdf of your rights in New Zealand law.

The American Civil Liberties union has a neat little animation showing the potential misuses of data matching in their society. It’s worth a look to see where all this technology may take us without appropriate safeguards to protect individual rights to privacy.

Enrolment

All patients need to enrol with a Practice in order to access government funded health benefits. The consultation cost for non enrolled patients fee is $65 less any GMS benefit they may be entitled to.

Wart Clinic

We have purchased a large capacity liquid nitrogen cylinder and are now able to offer liquid nitrogen cryotherapy at any time during the working week. An appointment is required.

Immunisations

Adults, especially older adults need a tetanus booster every 10 years. If you have received a tetanus booster elsewhere (eg at A+E) please let us know so that we can update your records.

Immunisations for children remain free.

Flu vaccines are recommended for adults with chronic diseases and chest complaints. Flu vaccines are free in the autumn for all those over 65 and with some chronic diseases.

Second Opinions

We are sometimes asked to provide a "second opinion" for patients from outside the Practice. We do not do this, as these consultations are often difficult, because we are not privy to another Practitioners history, investigations and examination results.

If from within the practice you would like a second opinion on your problem please ask. We can, together, find another Doctor who would provide this service. Having several Doctors working in the practice enables us to arrange another opinion easily.

Test Results

We would like to be able to contact everyone with their test results. This is not physically possible. Already we make nearly 1000 local telephone calls a month. We will contact you if the results are not as expected or need further attention. Alternatively you can ring us.

Waiting Times

Nobody likes to be kept waiting. We are aware of this and try to adhere to our appointment schedules.

However, the unpredictable nature of medical practice means we sometimes run behind schedule. We regret any inconvenience this causes.

Your time is also important. Please feel free to ring in before your appointment to find out how close to time your Doctor is running.

Telephone Access to the Doctors

In the course of a day your Doctor will see many Patients. In fairness your doctor should only be interrupted for emergencies. Thus when you call the practice asking to speak to the Doctor, (unless it is a dire emergency) your name and number will be taken and the Doctor concerned will get back to you at a mutually convenient time.

Doctor’s and Nurses Holidays

Your Doctor and nurses are not an inexhaustible. He or she needs time out in the evenings and weekends. They need adequate time to spend with their families, for study, and holidays. Please respect the need for time out.

To keep up to date your Doctor and Nurses will attend courses and conferences. This may mean they are unavailable at times during the week.

Afterhours Care

Weekends, weekday evenings and Public Holidays there is always a Doctor available at the Invercargill Urgent Doctor Service (telephone 2188821) situated at 40 Clyde St, Invercargill.

If your Doctor is away during normal surgery times he or she will have arranged a competent doctor to cover the work.