What a year it has been! We would like to thank everyone for their support and patience during these challenging times. Our practice team have had to adapt quickly to continue to provide quality healthcare to our practice population over the lockdowns and different alert levels. We are very proud of how our staff have coped with changes in systems and processes, in particular moving to virtual consultations via telephone and video consultations. These have proved to be popular and we will continue to offer these as an option for our patients.

With the holiday season fast approaching we suggest that you check that you have enough prescription medication to see you through. Please order any repeat prescriptions as soon as possible, via the patient portal or by phoning in, to avoid pre-Christmas congestion. 

If it’s time for your next check-up, or it will be due during the holidays, please plan ahead. Appointment slots before Christmas are filling up fast!

Meadowbank General Practice Holiday Opening Hours:

The Practice will close on Wednesday 23 December 2020, end of day. 

Normal business hours will resume on Monday 11 January.

Our practice team members will be taking well-earned breaks over the holiday period howevera reduced service by a duty doctor will be available for urgent prescriptions and consultations on the following days:

Tuesday 29-Thursday 31 December 9am-12 noon

Tuesday 5-Friday 8 January 9am-1pm

Please see our website www.mgpdoctors.nz for further information including opening times.

If you are an enrolled patient with this practice and need healthcare when we are closed please call our usual practice phone number (09) 521 5128 to speak to a registered nurse who can offer medical advice 24 hours a day.

If you need a virtual consultation when we are not available we recommend CareHQ. CareHQ provides urgent and booked appointments with a real GP from 7am-7pm, 7 days per week. For more information or to book visit www.carehq.co.nz

If you have a medical emergency please dial 111.

The closest accident and medical centre (A&M) to this practice is: White Cross Urgent Care, 110 Lunn Ave, Mt Wellington, (09) 5708899

Farewell to Dr Kerryn

The team at MGP are sad to say that Dr Kerryn van Rij will be leaving us in December. Kerryn has had a long association with MGP Limited and she is taking a break from General Practice to do some more study and keep up with her busy young family! We send our very best wishes and we will all certainly miss her.

The team at MGP will continue to care for her regular patients and we wish to welcome Dr Lydia Sulima who will be joining us in February

We wish you a happy, safe and restful holiday season,

From the team at Meadowbank General Practice.

The team at MGP are sad to say that Dr Kerryn van Rij will be leaving us in December. Kerryn has had a long association with MGP Limited and she

is taking a break from General Practice to do some more study and keep up with her busy young family!

We send our very best wishes and we will all certainly miss her.

The team at MGP will continue to care for her regular patients.

Monday to Friday please do contact us if you are concerned about your symptoms and would like to talk to a doctor about an assessment, or any difficulty arranging a test. There are no charges for these virtual appointments for symptoms of Covid-19. We do also have some ability to arrange tests at Meadowbank General Practice.

Testing centres listed below :

Be aware that this keeps evolving ……. the drop down box of ‘Central Auckland and Island GP Clinics ‘ has our local testing centres listed .

https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/covid-19/

From 1 October 2020 the following changes have been made to the National Immunisation Schedule.

A new event has been created at age 12 months, and MMR vaccine will move from being given at 15 months and 4 years to being given at 12 months and 15 months.

For more info see: https://www.immune.org.nz/sites/default/files/resources/Written%20Resources/ProgrammeScheduleCardOct2020Imac20201001V01Final%20web.pdf

We are asking people to continue to wear masks when visiting the practice,  and also avoiding having coughs and colds in our waiting room.  We apologise that this may be frustrating,  but we need to keep our vulnerable patients safe, and also not risk  sudden closure of the practice due to this sneaky virus!

Why masks at level 1 for now? …..

1. Avoiding Covid risk for all patients and staff while ensuring practice continuity
2. Avoiding transmission of ordinary coughs and colds, so we can keep everyone, especially medically vulnerable people safe. This is important to avoid confusion/worry about whether they may have Covid, which would impact on their care.
3. The college of GPs is still recommending this approach for safety for all.

Thank you from the team at Meadowbank!

You may see information in media about Primary Care Nurses lack of pay parity with secondary care. 

We support pay parity for New Zealand’s valuable workforce of Primary Care Nurses, the chronic underfunding of primary care, and the ongoing lobbying of the government for these issues. 

Article summarising more info, if you are interested…

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/over-3000-nurses-healthcare-workers-stop-work-across-nz-end-month

To help smooth the transition back to compliance, the following documents are temporarily extended:

• WoFs and CoFs, driver licences that expired on or after 1 January 2020.
• Other vehicle certifications which expired on or after 1 January 2020, including alternative fuel inspection certificates, permits authorising use of vehicles with conditions, and heavy vehicle specialist certifications of towing connections and log bolster attachments.
• Endorsements (including drivers of small and large passenger services and dangerous good endorsements held by some truck drivers) that expired on or after 1 March 2020.
• The legislative changes also allow a temporary suspension of the requirement to have a current vehicle licence if the vehicle licence expired on or after 1 January 2020.

New expiry dates

Once we start adjusting back to business as normal, the Transport Agency, working closely with industry groups, will set expiry dates for these documents, which could extend up until 10 October 2020. We will let you know as we set these dates and will ensure you have plenty of time to get your documents compliant. Please check that we have your correct contact details – you can do this on our website.

health.govt.nz/coronavirus

Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) – What you need to know
Current as at: 07/02/2020

While we are still learning more about this new virus –
We do know the risk of the virus spreading in New Zealand is very low

How worried should I be?
• Your chances of catching the Covid-19 virus in New Zealand are very low.
• It is highly unlikely you will catch the virus walking down the street
• Covid-19 appears to be as infectious as the flu and the symptoms are similar – fever, cough and shortness of breath. You are only likely to catch it if you are near to someone with the virus. Most people catch the virus from someone at home, a close workmate or someone they spend time with.
• People will not be moving around the community if they are suspected or confirmed of having the virus – they will be in isolation. Their family and anyone they may have infected will also be asked to stay at home.

How serious is coronavirus?
• People are being infected, mainly in China, but only a small number of those with coronavirus have died.
• Most people have a mild to moderate illness with flu-like symptoms
• People of all ages are being infected, but older people and those with medical conditions seem most likely to get seriously ill.

How do I protect myself and my family?
Everyone should protect themselves from the virus, as you would for the ‘flu –
• Wash your hands regularly, or use hand sanitiser. This is the best way to avoid this illness.
• As with other illnesses, do not go to work or school, or see visitors if you are sick.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or clothing. Dispose of tissues in the bin and wash hands afterwards
• Avoid being near to people who are sick
• Washing your hands often and covering coughs and sneezes will do more to protect you from the virus than a mask.
• If you are sharing food, use utensils to serve the food and keep your personal spoon, fork, or chopsticks separate to avoid transmission through saliva.

What should I do if I think I could have Covid-19?
• If you start to experience mild symptoms, then stay at home and call the dedicated, national coronavirus line for advice: 0800 358 5453. Interpreters are available on request.
• If you start to experience more severe symptoms arrange to see a doctor urgently. Call ahead and mention your travel history. Difficulty breathing requires immediate medical attention and can be a sign of pneumonia.

Are you travelling?
Need to know updates on coronavirus?
Here is most useful link – https://safetravel.govt.nz/news/novel-coronavirus-covid-19

Where can I find more information?
Information is updated regularly on the Ministry of Health website Ministry of Health website

The Ministry of Health provides updated information on its website daily at midday http://www.arphs.health.nz/public-health-topics/disease-and-illness/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov/

The spread of the novel coronavirus, originating in Wuhan City, China, is being closely monitored by Auckland Regional Public Health Service and the Ministry of Health.

The virus can cause acute respiratory infection ranging from mild to severe. Most of the infected people have had mild to moderate illness.

Anyone with fever or difficulty breathing, and who, in the last two weeks has been –

• to mainland China
• in close contact with someone diagnosed with the novel coronavirus,

should not present unannounced to any medical facility but call the dedicated number 0800 358 5453 (Interpreters are available).

Travelers who have been to mainland China in the last 14 days should read the Ministry of Health’s advice on self-isolation.

You can find further advice on the Ministry of Health website.