Exciting Updates and Warm Welcomes!
We’re excited to introduce two new additions to our team!
First, please join us in welcoming Mary, our new Triage Nurse. Mary brings a wealth of experience and is providing invaluable support with phone consultations, working remotely. Despite the distance, it feels like she’s right here with us, ensuring top-notch care for our patients.
We’re also delighted to welcome Jayne, a highly experienced nurse, who will be joining us at the beginning of October. With her expertise, we’re pleased to announce the reopening of our Nurse Clinic on Fridays, starting from mid-October.
Additionally, our nurses have upskilled in lifestyle management of perimenopause. If you’d like to learn more, book an appointment for a dedicated session.
Nurse Prescriber role
If you need a medication review, prescription, diabetes check, or assistance with a UTI, wound, or infection, we’re here to help. Just give us a call, and we’ll arrange an appointment with Katy, our skilled nurse prescriber. Katy is dedicated to providing care tailored to your health needs, ensuring your well-being is our top priority.
Update on Prescription Times
Please note that our standard processing time for prescriptions is now 48 hours, unless marked as urgent. If you require a same-day prescription, an additional charge will apply. For convenience, remember you can save time by ordering your prescriptions through the Manage My Health Portal.
If you are signed up to MMH and your RX is required SAME DAY please phone our reception team to request. If you’re not signed up yet, let us know, and we’ll assist you.
Late and Missed Appointments Policy Reminder
We’ve recently updated our Late and Missed Appointment Policy, which you can read in full at reception. No-shows and late cancellations not only impact our business but also limit access for other patients.
In brief:
- Missed Appointment Fee: Repeated failure to attend scheduled appointments without 24 hours’ notice will result in a normal consult fee, unless unforeseen circumstances are explained in writing to the practice manager.
- Cancellation Procedure: If you need to cancel your appointment, please do so by phone rather than email. Call our reception team at 03 548 2763 to cancel or reschedule. This ensures effective communication and allows us to offer the slot to another patient in need.
By following these guidelines and giving us timely notice, you help us optimize our resources and maintain a high standard of care for all patients.
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
Important Update: Changes to Our Services and Fees
Our passion is to provide continuous, comprehensive, coordinated care to you and your family.
However, General practice is at a crisis point. Sadly, one in four practices in NZ have become insolvent and needed to close. General practice in NZ is currently underfunded by at least 25%. The government subsidises General Practice per enrolled patient, which we put towards looking after your health needs within a standard consultation. Unfortunately, the demand required of general practice resources and time has grown, and costs such as medical supplies, our staff wages, power and rental have increased.
Therefore, to continue to operate, we are forced to increase our fees in October 2024 and apply fees to the additional services we offer which we have previously performed without charge. Some of these services include but are not limited to:
-Referral letters not agreed upon within a consultation, or redirection of referrals
-Non urgent nursing phone advice
-Driver’s license, insurance, and other medicals
-Provision of medical reports
-Completion of medical certificates
-Request of lab tests and interpretation/ treatment of these results
We will strive to provide reasonable appointment availability for routine and acute issues. However, because of both the underfunding and workforce shortages we face (in all clinical areas), this is becoming more difficult to sustain. We are having to look to other ways to deliver the healthcare you deserve, and this may be through seeing a trained healthcare assistant, or nurse prescriber. We appreciate your patience while we work differently to deliver the healthcare that you deserve.
Please discuss with your GP if you have extenuating circumstances.
Yours sincerely,
The Directors
Tiakina ō koutou tinana katoa.
Take care of yourselves.
Thank you for choosing us for your healthcare needs.Harley Street Medical Team