+ Wound Management

Our team aim to provide comprehensive best practice wound care to optimize wound healing. Wound management can include:

• Measurement and documentation of the wound characteristics
• Cleaning of the wound
• Debridement (removal) of any dead tissue
• Selection and application of wound dressing
• Application of compression if necessary
• Education to patients, caregivers and/or family members regarding wound care and dressing changes

+ Immunisations

Immunisations are one of the most important services we provide. Immunisation has led to the decline of many lethal diseases including meningococcal B meningitis.

The National Immunisation Schedule offers a series of vaccines free to babies, children, adolescents and adults. Visit the Ministry of Health website to find out what vaccines are on the Schedule and when they are given. Additional vaccines are provided free for certain eligible groups considered to be at high risk because of other medical conditions. These and other vaccines such as travel vaccines can be purchased by other people if they want them.

Immunisations are given by a practice nurse or doctor, having ensured beforehand that the person is not ill or suffering from allergies. Risks associated with immunisation are very rare.

Children have their own document to keep a record of these injections. Under the age of 5 this is usually their Well Child/Tamariki Ora My Health Book. The immunisation record may need to be shown, for example, when starting school or early childcare. Our staff, with your consent will also record the immunisation details on New Zealand’s National Immunisation Register. This computerised information system holds details of all immunisations given to children here and will alert families when immunisations are due.

+ Minor Accidents

Alongside the Doctors our team of Nurses are able to provide a range of minor accident care including, wound care, plastering, tetanus vaccinations, management of sprains and much more.

+ 24-Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) is when your blood pressure is being measured as you move around, living your normal daily life. It is normally carried over 24 hours. It uses a small digital blood pressure machine that is attached to a belt around your body and which is connected to a cuff around your upper arm. It small enough that you can go about your normal daily life and even sleep with it on.

By measuring your blood pressure at regular intervals over 24 hours, your doctor is able to get clear pictures of how your blood pressure changes throughout the day. This assessment is usually requested by your Doctor or specialist. If you would like to find out more please make an appointment to talk to one of our Doctors.

+ Blood Pressure Checks

Having a blood pressure check is usually a routine part of most medical appointments. It is an important test that measures the pressure in your arteries as your heart pumps.

Many people, such as those with high blood pressure, do their own blood pressure tests at home so that they can better track their health.

You may have more frequent blood pressure tests if you've been diagnosed with elevated blood pressure, high blood pressure (hypertension) or low blood pressure (hypotension).

You should have a blood pressure test performed at least once every two years to screen for high blood pressure as a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, starting at age 18. If you're age 40 or older or if you're age 18 to 39 with a high risk of high blood pressure, ask your doctor for a blood pressure reading every year.

+ Diabetes Check Ups

Support is available for patients who have diabetes or who are at risk of getting diabetes. Talk to your general practice team about how they can help you manage your diabetes or prevent it. If you have Diabetes you are entitled to a free annual Diabetes check up with one of our Nurses. This can include:

• Blood test review
• Foot Check
• Talking about your medications
• Blood pressure, height and weight check
• Blood Sugar control

Diabetes and foot care

Foot care is an important part of managing health for people with diabetes. People at risk of developing foot problems due to their diabetes may get up to six free podiatrist visits a year, depending on their condition. We can provide your with a referral to access this service.

+ Cervical Smear

All women who have ever been sexually active should have regular cervical smear tests every three years between the ages of 20 and 70. This includes women who have been immunised against HPV. This test detects abnormal cells which, if left untreated, could become cervical cancer. Very often these cells are made abnormal by a human papillomavirus (HPV) which is a sexually transmitted virus. Regular tests and treatment reduces the likelihood of this sort of cancer by around 90%.

This service is available Monday to Friday and provided by a range of Doctors and Nursing staff.

Visit the National Screening Unit website for more information about cervical smear tests.

+ Mammogram Referrals

Breast Screen Aotearoa is a free national breast screening programme for women aged 45-69. If you are aged 45–69 you can take part in the national breast screening programme. It offers you free mammograms (breast X-rays) every two years.

To find out more, contact either Breastscreen Aotearoa centre 0800 270 200 or make an appointment to see one of our Nurses who can refer you.

If you have any lumps or bumps in your breast or armpit area, it is best to get these checked as soon as possible, please make an appointment with one of our Doctors. They are also happy to talk and teach you about regular breast self examinations.

+ Throat Swabbing

Rheumatic fever can develop after a ‘strep throat’ – a throat infection caused by a Group A Streptococcus (GAS) bacteria. Most strep throats get better and don't lead to rheumatic fever. However, in a small number of people an untreated strep throat leads to rheumatic fever one to five weeks after a sore throat. This can cause the heart, joints, brain and skin to become inflamed and swollen.

While the symptoms of rheumatic fever may disappear on their own, the inflammation can cause rheumatic heart disease, where there is scarring of the heart valves. People with rheumatic heart disease may need heart valve replacement surgery. Rheumatic heart disease can cause premature death in adults.

Our clinic supports the Nation wide rheumatic fever prevention program. If your tamariki child/ children has a sore throat please make an appointment for them to be assessed by a Nurse. This will include a throat swab and antibiotic treatment if appropriate.

+ Sexual Health

Our nurses can provide:

• Confidential service for everyone (FREE for anyone aged …)
• Information and advice on sexual health
• Sexually Transmissible Infection (STI) checks and treatment
• Free condoms
• Pregnancy testing and follow up care or referral
• Emergency contraception
• Contraception advice and prescriptions
• Sexual Health Clinic can also provide management of other related conditions including
• Specialist services via referral
• IUD, Mirena and Jadelle Insertions
• Cervical screening
• Information to help you make positive decisions

Contraception

Contraception is a way to prevent pregnancy. Different methods work in different ways but contraception generally prevents sperm from reaching and fertilising an egg which is how a pregnancy starts.

Some of the different methods of contraception are:

• Contraceptive pills or “the pill”
• Barriers, such as condoms and diaphragms
• Depo Provera injection
• Long acting reversible contraception, such as implants or intra uterine devices
• Emergency contraception

Sexually Transmissible Infections

Sexually transmissible infections (STIs) are infections you can get if you have unprotected sex or, in some cases, skin on skin contact with someone who is infected. Condoms offer the best protection against STIs.

The most common STIs in New Zealand are:

• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhoea
• Genital warts
• Crabs
• Genital herpes

Some STIs have symptoms but with others there may be no obvious signs. Many people will be infected with an STI without knowing it. You can’t tell if someone has an STI by looking at them. If you are sexually active, it’s a good idea to have a regular sexual health check. Most STIs are easily cured just with creams or tablets. Some STIs remain in a person’s system for a long time or forever, and their symptoms are managed e.g. Herpes

+ Well Child/Tamariki Ora Health Checks

All New Zealand children are entitled to 11 free health checks from birth to three years. The checks aim to ensure that children are growing and developing as well as possible. Included in the checks are clinical assessment, health education and family/whanau support.

Baby checks are at birth and then at 24 hours, five days and around 2-4 weeks. Babies are weighed and measured to ensure that they are developing correctly. These sessions provide a great opportunity for parents to ask questions from an expert and have any problem addressed; difficulties with breastfeeding or sleep for example. They can also be used to discuss immunisations and vaccinations. These checks will be carried out by your lead maternity carer (LMC).

Between the ages of 4-6 weeks and three years, there are seven core health checks available, typically these are around 4-6 weeks, 8-10 weeks, 3-4 months, 5-7 months, 9-12 months, 15-18 months and 2-3 years. These checks are carried out by our local Well Child Provider at Piritahi Hau Ora please visit their website at www.piritahi.co.nz or call their reception team on 372 0022 to make an appointment with the Well Child Nurse.

+ Stop Smoking Support

Quit for yourself, your whānau and your friends. Improve your health and the health of your loved ones, and get more out of life.

It can be tough to quit smoking. Maybe you’ve tried to quit before and failed. However, every day people show it can be done as more and more people are stopping smoking.

We can provide:

• Advise and support
• Referrals to Quitline or other services
• Prescriptions for a range of Nicotine replacement options like lozenges, gum or patches

+ Plastering

Our clinic offers casting services for both acute fractures and replacements or post-operative casts. Our nurses have extensive plastering skills and expertise in the application of both plaster and fibreglass casts.

All casts must be checked the next day to ensure that they are comfortable and not compromising circulatory or nerve function.

+ Flu Clinics

If you are 65 years of age or older you are eligible for a free flu vaccination. Some people with long term medical conditions are also eligible for free flu vaccinations.

Please make an appointment with a Nurse to have your flu vaccine and please note that you will need to wait in the clinic 20 minutes afterward.

Some employers issue vouchers for free flu vaccines – you must present these at the time of vaccination to be redeemed.

+ Shingles Vaccine

Almost everyone is at risk of shingles because they are likely to have been exposed to chickenpox, even if they have no history of clinical chickenpox, or have had a chickenpox vaccine. Following chickenpox infection the virus lies dormant in the nerves near the spine and may re-emerge many years later as shingles. Shingles most commonly affects older adults or people of any age with a weakened immune system.

Zostavax® is indicated for the prevention of shingles. It can be given to patients who have previously had shingles.

From 1 April 2018, one dose of Zostavax will be funded for adults aged 65 years. A 'catch-up' programme will be available for the first two years, for people aged from 66–80 years inclusively. Funded vaccine doses will only be available through general practice.

Please make an appointment with a Nurse to have your Zostavax vaccine and please note that you will need to wait in the clinic 20 minutes afterward. You can have this together with your Flu vaccine if you like.

+ Blood & Urine Tests

Blood specimen collection is performed routinely to obtain blood for laboratory testing. Blood can be obtained from venous access devices and sometimes by fingerstick. Blood is most frequently obtained via a peripheral vein puncture (venipuncture).

Blood is usually drawn and collected in order to perform a variety of laboratory tests. Specimens are often sent to help diagnose conditions such as electrolyte imbalances, to screen for risk factors like high cholesterol levels, and to monitor the effects of treatments and medications.

Our Nurses are able to perform venesection when required and we also have a range of instant tests that can be performed in urgent cases, which helps our Doctors assess and diagnose, to plan and provide the most effective treatment required.