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GP services.

Akaroa Health Centre houses a general practice and offers an array of general practice and visiting practitioner services

General medical and preventative care

Our highly skilled staff can provide a full range of general practice consultations. We allocate 15 minutes for GP consultations which is in general enough time to deal with one major or two minor issues. If you have a number of complex issues, you will need to book a double appointment. We do our best to run to time but the unpredictable nature of our work means that sometimes there may be a wait.

Personal health checks

We recommend that from time to time you have a personal health check. Early detection of a medical problem usually results in better health long term. Please indicate to reception that you require a 30 minute wellness check when you book in.

 

During this time, we will talk to you about your lifestyle, review your family medical history and question you on a range of symptoms. You will have a comprehensive examination and in many cases you will have a blood test. We are particularly interested in identifying and treating risk factors for heart disease, stroke and some cancers. 

Under 5 care

Akaroa Health provides a number of services for children under 5. These include;

  • administering the recommended immunisation schedule;

  • B4 School checks for children under 5; and,

  • a visiting Well Child nurse holds clinics at Akaroa Health.

 

Parenting of small children can be worrying so please, if you have any concerns, make an appointment to see a Doctor or Nurse.

 

Plunketline – 0800933922 – also has qualified nurses manning the phones 24/7.

Accidents 

If you have an accident, please call the health centre. One of our experienced nurses will advise on the appropriate course of action. The nurse will liaise with the GP and with the after-hours staff on call. 

 

We are able to provide assistance for most minor injuries, accidents and wound care management. We are able to undertake an initial assessment and stabilisation of more serious injuries. Should it be required, we will transfer care to Christchurch Hospital for x-ray and/or other treatment and management.

Wound care

Our nurses are skilled at treating and managing a wide variety of wounds including;

  • Post operation wounds

  • Wounds as a result of an accident i.e., cuts, burns

  • Those due to an illness i.e., cellulitis

PRIME care

PRIME (Primary Response in Medical Emergencies) service is a jointly commissioned project funded by the Ministry of Health and ACC and administered by St John. It has been developed to provide both the coordinated response and appropriate management of emergencies in rural locations.

 

The PRIME service utilises the skills of specially trained rural GPs and/or rural nurses to support the volunteer St John crew. 

Minor surgery

Minor surgeries such as the removal of skin lesions, cysts and the removal of foreign bodies can be undertaken at the Akaroa Health Centre.

 

Our Doctors are also able to insert and remove IUDs, including Mirena and contraceptive implants, including Jadelle for long-term contraception. Our Doctors are also able to do vasectomy.

Please discuss with your Doctor or Practice Nurse if you wish to know more.

Travel health

It is important to seek accurate advice on how to remain healthy whilst you are away. You may also be required to have proof of certain vaccinations before you will be allowed to enter some countries. We suggest organising your travel health needs at least 6 weeks prior to departure. Useful links for travel health information include CDC.gov, FitforTravel.com and TravelEssentials.com

 

We are able to provide detailed travel advice. Our Nurses are trained vaccinators and we can administer the common vaccinations including Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Typhoid, Polio, Influenza and Cholera vaccine. Our Doctors can prescribe malaria prevention and travel medications where necessary.

 

When you come in to discuss your travel, please bring a detailed itinerary of your planned journey and any previous travel vaccination records you have. 

Nurse appointments

We offer a number of Nurse led appointments. These include, but are not limited to:

 

  • Diabetes clinics

  • Health heart checks

  • Asthma reviews

  • Cervical screening

  • Stop smoking support

Skin checks

A thorough skin check should be carried out every year or two, especially for fair skinned people. Any new skin spots that are unusual, or any changes in existing skin spots should be checked out as soon as possible. Our Doctors can undertake skin checks and use specialist equipment to identify areas of concern.

Women's health

All our Doctors are professionally trained to provide women's health services. If you prefer to see our female doctor, Dr Jan Whyte, please let Fiona, Shirley or Suzie on reception know. You will receive a text notifying you of Dr Whyte's upcoming clinic dates for which you can make an appointment.

 

Cervical smears can be taken by Practice Nurse Rachel Vogan and Rebecca Barnett.

Pregnancy and birth

Akaroa Health Centre is not a birthing centre. However we can provide post-natal care for mothers and babies upon referral from your Lead Maternity Care provider. We work closely with the community lead maternity care providers as required.

Visiting specialists

Our community's access to comprehensive health services is important to us. We have a number of dedicated private health providers who visit on a regular basis. Appointments can be booked by contacting our reception team on 033047004. These include, but are not limited to:

 

  • Podiatrist

  • Dietician

  • Physiotherapy – Kevin Dysart is an experienced Physiotherapist 

We also have a number of visiting Canterbury DHB specialists who run clinics at the health centre. These include;

  • Diabetic Nurse Specialist

  • Diabetes Dietician

  • Rural Mental Health Team

  • Well Child Nurse

Under 14's

If you are under 14 years of age and registered with us your general health needs are free. There may be a charge if you have minor surgery or other procedures.

If you are not registered with us then there will be a charge during normal hours. Afterhours and all ACC consultations are free for all under 14’s.

Youth health

We are keen to make health care as easy as possible for young people. You are welcome to make an appointment with a Doctor or Nurse at any time. The information and links below may be of use to you when considering your health, or that of a young person:

 

  • Appointments: You can make a booking by calling or emailing Akaroa Health. Be sure to give the receptionist your mobile number so we can send a reminder test the evening before your appointment.

 

  • Mental Health: Young people may experience distress and unhappiness in many forms. It is a difficult time of life. If you are struggling, reach out to us for help. We can help sort out what is going on and direct you to the right help. Useful links include:

 

 

  • Sexual Health: If you are concerned that you may have an sexually transmitted infection (STI) or are pregnant or need contraception please call and arrange to see a Doctor or Nurse. We can provide condoms if you need them. Care related to sexual health is free for those under 16.

 

  • Fees: If you have difficulty accessing money to pay for your visit we may be able to assist. You can also pay by internet banking after your consultation.

 

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