Primary Health Care is under immense pressure – how can you help?

You may be aware that we are currently short staffed in our clinical team, and so far, we have been unable to secure either locum or permanent doctors until the New Year.

We are trying to focus our resources on patient safety in the meantime, and unfortunately convenience of service provision will not currently always be possible. Please bear with us and be respectful of our staff who are doing their best in this busy time.

What can you do?

If you do not currently have an assigned GP, then please be assured that a new GP is coming at the end of this year. We are unable to assign you to any of the other GP's at this moment, however, you will be able to make appointments and receive the care that you need in the meantime.

There is a lot of general practice advice available online. We recommend these websites:

• www.healthify.nz
• www.patient.info
• www.healthinfo.org.nz
• www.kidshealth.org.nz

If you have general health questions or concerns call Healthline for phone advice.  Healthline 0800 611 116. Please be aware that if they suggest an urgent appointment, you might need to go to Medical Injury Centre in Nelson. The Medical Injury Centre provides urgent & after-hours medical care up to 10pm for a charge. (The Emergency Department is for serious illness and accidents). You do not need an appointment to be seen. MIC 03 546 8881 www.micn.org.nz.

Due to the large volume of emails received regarding clinical matters, our clinical staff will be unable to respond. Our clinical staff’s first priority is to the health of our patients and therefore clinical discussions and decisions cannot be made over email.

You can be seen by our Health Coach or Health Improvement Practitioner (HIP) who may be available sooner than a GP appointment. They can help with situational or general stress, grief, anxiety, depression, low mood, behavioural health / lifestyle changes, life transitions (eg to rest home), sleep, issues starting new medications, diabetes management.  They offer funded (free to you) 30-minute appointments. Please book directly with reception.

You can access results for tests ordered by general practice, on our web portal, Manage My Health. (Please contact reception to ask how to join this or contact Manage My health for further questions, www.managemyhealth.co.nz/support-patients/). When our GP has seen, commented on and filed the result, it will be available for you to see. Allow 1 week for results to be processed. We will no longer be getting results copied to us by other providers due to the workload involved.

If you have questions about tests arranged or plans made by hospital or private specialists or about care from other providers, please contact them directly to hear the result or ask about the plan. Nelson Hospital switchboard 03 546 1800.

Thank you for your understanding,

Nga Mihi

The Team at Tasman Medical Centre