Courtenay Medical

We will be closed from 4pm Friday 22 December 2023 for the Christmas New Year break.
We reopen and normal hours resume on Wednesday 3 January 2024.
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!🎄✨

POTLUCK ALERT!! Ready in half an hour and packed with seasonal berries 😋🍓

Find this recipe and many more on our new recipe finder!
https://www.diabetes.org.nz/diabetes-friendly-recipes

Getting you and your tamariki immunised is important for a healthy life and peace of mind for your whānau in the long run. Immunisations help protect your tamariki and whānau from a range of preventable diseases

To find out more about childhood immunisations and how to safeguard your whānau, explore www.immunise.health.nz. If you're uncertain about your whānau's vaccination history, consult your healthcare provider or doctor.

It’s not too late to catch up if you, your whānau or tamariki have missed any of their immunisations

Let's have a conversation about ensuring the safety of ourselves and our tamariki in the face of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR). Taking the necessary precautions is crucial in guarding against these highly contagious diseases.

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella are viral infections that can lead to severe health problems and complications. They spread through coughing, sneezing, and close contact with infected individuals. The symptoms can be serious, encompassing high fever, rash, swollen glands, and, in some cases, long-term complications.

The MMR vaccine free for pēpē at both 12 and 15 months of age. If your child has missed their MMR vaccine it's free for them to catch up. If you're unsure whether your tamariki have received both doses, it's safe to opt for a third dose. Consult with your GP or healthcare provider for guidance.

To gain a deeper understanding of what the MMR vaccine shields you from, how to schedule vaccinations, and what potential side effects to watch for, visit https://www.immunise.health.nz/about-vaccines/nz-immunisations/measles-mumps-and-rubella-mmr-vaccine/

Thanks to the whānau with Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngāti Hāmua for supporting us to encourage immunisations!

Are you and your whānau up to date with your immunisations?

Childhood immunsiations protect your tamariki from a range of preventable illnesses which can be incredibly harmful if they fall ill with them. If your tamariki have missed some of their childhood immunisations over the past few years, dont' worry - it's not too late to catch up.

If you're not sure whether your whānau have had their immunsiations, have a kōrero with your GP or healthcare provider. You can find a full list of immunisations at www.immunise.health.nz.

Thanks to the whānau at Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngāti Hāmua for supporting us to encourage immunisations!

Elevate the voice of patients - Patient Safety Day Friday 17th November.

Supporting your patients next visit is one way we can elevate the voice of patients. The 'Let’s Plan' for your next health care visit, is a Te Tāhū Hauora (Health Quality and Safety Commission) free resource that can be printed off or a pad can be ordered, and is available if a range of languages. It is a useful tool to help people record questions they want to ask and offers prompts on what could be asked.

Find them here: https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/resources/resource-library/lets-plan-for-your-next-health-care-visit/

Our popular Facebook Live sessions are back for Diabetes Action Month 2023 🙌🙌

The first session on Tuesday 7 November is on this page. Tune in to learn about the importance of looking after your eye sight when you are living with diabetes.

We know that the complications of diabetes can be confusing and concerning. We have special guests including Specsavers optometrist Philip Walsh, opthamologist Dr David Squirrell, and head of clinical services at Diabetes NZ, Liz Dutton appearing live to answer your questions.

If you tune in, there's a chance to WIN an awesome prize pack worth over $800 with goodies from the Diabetes Action Month partners Vibe Drinks Co, Ísey Skyr New Zealand, Dexcom & Specsavers New Zealand

Men will die on average 4.5 years earlier than woman, and for reasons that are largely preventable. Which means that it doesn't have to be that way: we can all take action to live healthier,happier and longer lives.

The Mo is men's time to unite. To take on mental health,suicide,prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

https://nz.movember.com/

Free Meningococcal B Vaccines
These vaccines are free for all Tamariki under 5 years old. It’s a really serious disease and can be life threatening. For more information talk to your doctor or nurse.

Winter Wellness
We still have Flu vaccines available; it is not too late to be protected. Fully funded Flu immunisations are available for the following people:
o Anyone aged 65+
o Tamariki aged 6 months to 12 years (inclusive)
o Maori or Pacific ethnicity who are aged 55+
o Anyone who has a eligible medical condition - call our nurse to see if you are eligible

Flu vaccines are now available for all patients.

Book online on the dedicated Flu clinics via our website Book Now button or use your Manage My Health portal or by ringing Reception

Fully funded Flu immunisations are available for the following people:

Anyone aged 65+
Those with Maori or Pacific ethnicity who are aged 55+
Children aged 6 months to 12 years inclusive
Anyone who has an eligible medical condition - call our nurse to see if you are eligible
Pregnant people

Travel Health
Organising your travel health needs is complex and involves much more than just getting a few vaccinations. We recommend that you get your travel health organised at least 6 weeks prior to departing.
Please go to our website Travel Health page for all the information regarding our Travel health service.
A Pre-Travel Questionnaire will need to be completed for each person. You can download this from our website.
https://www.cmed.co.nz/travel-health/
Yellow fever – Please note we do not provide Yellow Fever.

Travel health - Courtenay Medical Before setting off on your overseas trip it is important to get 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. Organising your travel health needs is complex and involves...

Health Improvement Practitioner

We now have a Health Improvement Practitioner (HIP) in the practice. A HIP is an extension to our team that provides help and support to patients with any problems.
These are FREE Appointments for enrolled patients.
Available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays.
Appointments can be in the clinic or via phone call.
HIP visits are approx. 30 minutes in length.
Please call Reception if you would like to book yourself an appointment, no referral needed.

Examples of areas that the HIP visit can help with include:
Stress and grief
Anxiety and low mood (mild-moderate presentations)
Coping with a diagnosis or illness
Sleep problems, fatigue and energy management
Chronic pain
Lifestyle changes and Health choices (e.g. eating, exercise, smoking cessation)
Family or relationship issues
Gender identity, sexual orientation
Addiction

Prescriptions

o The turnaround time for standard prescriptions is now three (3) working days (previously two (2) working days).
o While most prescriptions are turned around quicker than this, the three-day period takes the stress off the system, when a GP is away for any length of time and particularly as we are short staffed.
o Any prescription required within the three-day period is considered URGENT and carries an additional charge.
o We often hear ‘I only have one pill left’ when patients call wanting repeat prescriptions.
o For those requiring regular medications we suggest using a diary or reminder app to schedule when to request a prescription.
o All regular medications must be ordered via your Manage My Health portal

o An urgent prescription cause’s disruption into the day of your GP as usually they are required in between consultations to get this sorted – this delays consultations and can put the schedule of the GP under considerable strain.

A repeat prescription is more than just a click of button!

Despite what many may think, a prescribing clinician needs to go through a routine of things to check before they can issue a repeat prescription.
It is important to realise that it is not necessarily the GP you may be registered with that may provide your prescription. It can be that a prescriber that does not know you may be requested to access your notes in response to your request. This happens often when the prescription is urgent and a prescriber is on leave, off sick or on their scheduled time off.
A prescription is a legal document. To issue a prescription, a prescribing clinician needs to check that your prescription meets the requirements of the Medical Council and Medicines Controls Act:
• When was the last time you were seen by a clinician either in-clinic or virtually? This is important as you may need clinical review. Prescribers can legally only roll over a prescription a certain number of times, depending on the condition, how stable it is, the type of medication, and best practice protocols. You may need to have a clinical measurement or blood test to ensure that the drug does not do you harm, or that it is still producing the clinical results required.
• When was the last time blood tests and other monitoring were done? This is especially important if you are on medications for management of a long-term condition. If this has not been done within the last 12 months you may be given a short supply of your medications and asked to go for a blood test or ECG.
• Were you in hospital (either ED, admitted to a ward at Wellington or Hutt hospitals), or have you seen an external specialist, or had surgery with an external specialist recently? While we receive discharge summaries from some external providers, we do not get all of them, so we need to check whether any medications have changed or been added
• Whether the timing of the prescription is appropriate. Many patients forget they have a repeat prescription available at the pharmacy. Sometimes it may not be appropriate to re-prescribe medicines that are a controlled substance, as these prescriptions are only valid for 30 days. The clinician also needs to check on compliance with the intended treatment.
• Whether there are any medicines that won’t work well together. This happens often when you are asking for a medication that has not been prescribed for a while. You may have had medications prescribed that could interact or are contra-indicated – sometimes this occurs after medications are started or changed by a specialist or hospital

We know there’s already a lot going on across Aotearoa, but we’ve identified a person with measles in New Zealand. Measles is highly contagious and can be very serious for people who aren’t protected against it.

❗ The MMR vaccine provides great protection against measles. If you and your whānau aren't vaccinated or aren't sure - contact your GP to check if you need it. The vaccine is completely free for those born after 1 Jan 1969.

👉 To find information and advice on what to do if you were present at a place visited by a measles case, visit: https://www.health.govt.nz/measlesexposure

We are having phone and internet connectivity issues due to Cyclone Gabrielle. Our It Providers are working hard to remedy this. Please have patience with the staff if you are not able to contact us in the first Instance. You are welcome to leave us a voice message as we are clearing these as our connections allow. Thank you

Practice Plus an online GP service

We are pleased to offer Practice Plus to our patients as an extension of care options when we are unavailable.
Through Practice Plus you can book a virtual consultation with one of their GPs if you need assistance between the hours of:

Weekdays 5pm to 10pm
Weekends and Public Holidays 8am to 8pm

Visit their website for more information.
https://practiceplus.nz/

There are things you can do to prepare yourself and your whānau should Omicron arrive in the community.

Being ready is about having conversations, making connections and knowing what to do.

If you test positive for COVID-19, you will need to stay home and avoid contact with others, including whānau. Your plan for how to do this might include things like:

✅ Who can help you by dropping off supplies or groceries? Identify anyone who may be able to help.

✅ Is there anyone in your house who needs extra help? Make plans with any in-home carers, and for shared custody situations.

✅ How might you be able to work or continue with education? Talk to your employer and schools about plans to work and learn from home.

✅ Let people know you’re isolating – you might want to prepare signs for your front door, and QR codes for those dropping things off for you.

✅ What if you’re very sick and need to go to hospital? Write down household instructions like caring for pets, plants and paying bills for someone else to follow.

You may also want to prepare a kit at home, and include things like medicines and food, and a list of whānau information. Include details like names, ages, NHI numbers, medical conditions, supplies and medications normally taken by each person. This will help health staff know who is in the household. You may also want to note emergency contact information like your doctors clinic, afterhours and support agencies

Download your Readiness Checklist here: https://covid19.govt.nz/prepare-and-stay-safe/be-prepared-for-covid-19/

Know and share your plan with your household, so everyone knows how to support each other and who to contact if someone gets sick and needs to isolate.

We’re all in this together. Stay safe, stay connected, and encourage your loved ones to make their own plans.

Our Christmas hours are:

We will be closed from 12pm Friday 24th December 2021 for the
Christmas New Year break.
We reopen and normal hours resume on Wednesday 5th January 2022.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Check out this great event happening in Lower Hutt tomorrow!

is a great opportunity to learn more about the symptoms of bowel cancer.

Did you know it is not just older people that get diagnosed with bowel cancer – grandparents, parents, siblings, any of us 20+ could be at risk.

Being aware of the symptoms of bowel cancer is the first step you can take to prevent it. If you’re concerned about your bowel health don’t wait, no matter what your age, take action – see your GP straight away.

Covid-19 Vaccine message from the Director

“Hurry up and wait” and “Don’t call us we’ll call you. “

These phrases originated in the USA in the 1940s and likely described military and theatrical life respectively.

Unfortunately, for us all this is also an apt way to describe our collective experience of Covid vaccine planning and delivery information. We must all wait for the health department to advise when the delivery of vaccine to our door will occur. It is very uncomfortable for all of us, as the level of planning seems extraordinary. Our nurses are fully trained to give vaccines and have completed extra on-line learning for this specific vaccine. The level of professional information we receive regarding delivery date is the same as the public announcements. We have been ready for over two months and prepared to commence vaccination here at Courtenay Medical. However, there is no delivery date of the Covid vaccine to our door. We are motivated to vaccinate professionally and efficiently.

So in a kind and shortened version, “Don’t call us.” However, unlike the theatre or movie cliché brush off, everyone in NZ is going to get the Covid vaccine this year. It might take longer than we all want.

Be assured once we know a reliable Covid vaccine delivery date we will send reliable information.

“We’ll call you”

Kind regards

Dave Pickett
Director Courtenay Medical

Flu vaccines have now arrived for all patients

Book online via our website Book Now button, your Manage My Health portal or by ringing Reception on 048015228. If you have had your 2nd Covid-19 vaccine you must wait 2 weeks before having your Flu vaccine.

The Flu vaccine is $36 BUT some people may be eligible for a free flu vaccine - To find out more information please phone the practice on 04 801-5228

We have had many enquiries regarding the group 3 Covid-19 vaccine rollout.
We are currently waiting to hear from the MOH with information about this rollout in the Wellington region for all aged 65 and over.
As soon as we have information concerning this rollout and that for the greater population from the MOH we will contact you. We thank you for your patience.

http://www.rph.org.nz/public-health-topics/vaccinate-greater-wellington/vaccine-rollout-plan/

The COVID-19 Vaccine rollout in Greater Wellington | Vaccinate Greater Wellington The Government has decided on a staged rollout for the COVID-19 vaccine. This means that different people will be able to be vaccinated at different times of the year.