COVID -19 – Latest practice information – 18 November 2020

As a general practice we have a duty of care to our patients and staff, and see the need to lead the fight in the controlling of infectious diseases and COVID-19. We want to demonstrate that our medical centre is a safe environment for all, so below is some important information for all our patients.

We will continue to triage all appointments due to the large amount of cough, colds and respiratory illnesses presenting at the practice, and our wish to keep these infections away from other patients in the waiting room. This means that our patient portal on-line booking of appointments will remain closed in the meantime although please use it for requesting repeat medications as this will avoid most of the telephone tag that happens when our busy nurses have to return your call. Your routine lab results are available for you on the portal once they have been checked and filed by the doctor.

If you are not enrolled on the portal check out how to on the website Patient Portal tab or alternatively inquire at reception.

To make appointments please phone reception (477 7583). You will be asked the following health questions before an appointment is made.

Do you have any of the following:

• Respiratory symptoms/shortness of breath.
• Fever.
• Cough.
• Sneezing/runny nose.
• Sore throat.
• Have you been managed isolation recently?
• Have you been Auckland or in managed isolation recently?
• Have you had contact with any proven or suspected case of Covid-19 or had a swab done yourself?

If you have any symptoms you will be put on our Respiratory Doctor telephone triage list for the day. You will be phoned by the respiratory doctor during the morning and your medical needs assessed.

As per the Ministry of Health’s current case definition we are providing COVID-19 test swabbing for all our enrolled patients (appointment only) that are experiencing any of the above symptoms. If you fall into this group, we strongly encourage you to contact us and arrange an appointment through our respiratory doctor to get a swab as this is the best way to pick up a recurrence of COVID in the community.

Please scan our NZ COVID Tracer QR code when you enter the building, especially if you are accompanying a patient, as you will not be recorded in our appointment books for the day.

Social distancing will be adhered to in the practice and for this reason we will ask you to phone from your vehicle in the carpark when you arrive, staff may then ask you to remain in your vehicle until the doctor or nurse is ready to see you.

We will continue to have an emphasis within the practice on infection control by strict handwashing routines for staff, use of hand gel for patients entering the medical centre, use of personal protection equipment by staff where necessary. We will also endeavour to keep patients with respiratory symptoms separated from other patients by using one side of the building for patients with these symptoms. We will also provide a mask for patients with respiratory symptoms.

Patients will no longer receive a piece of paper to take into the doctor which had your personal contact information on it so it is important for you to let reception know if you change your address, phone numbers or email address so we can keep our data base up to date with this information.