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Important changes to medications for ADHD

Currently, people diagnosed with ADHD need to have a Special Authority approval granted by a specialist before they can start on medications, and this approval then needs to be renewed every 2 years for adult or yearly for children, which involves further input from a specialist. This causes a huge barrier for people with ADHD, due to either cost or lengthy wait-times or both. From 01 December 2024, the regular renewal of your Special Authority will no longer be required. Instead, once your...

Please be on time for your appointments!

And as we get closer to the Kirihimete and New Year period, appointments are fast becoming less and less available. ...

Whooping cough (pertussis) epidemic declared in Aotearoa NZ

This follows on from high numbers of whooping cough cases and related hospitalisations occurring consistently throughout Aotearoa over the last several weeks. ...

Our Kirihimete and New Year Hours

We will be closed on the statutory holidays: Wed 25 Dec, Thurs 26 Dec, Wed 1 Jan, Thurs 2 Jan.We will have reduced hours on the remaining weekdays of the Kirihimete and New Year weeks - i.e. Mon 23 Dec, Tues 24 Dec, Fri 27 Dec; and Mon 30 Dec, Tues 31 Dec, and Fri 3 Jan. During our reduced hours we will:Be open 9AM-3PM only Have a skeleton staff with only one GP and one nurse workingBe making same-day bookings only Be seeing patients for acute/urgent ...

Important reminders as the silly season approaches...

We have only 4 weeks left of our business-as-usual staffing and hours before Kirihimete and the New Year! We’re already getting busier and busier as we get closer to December, and we would like to remind our patients to please book ahead of time if you know you will need an appointment – e.g. for a review for your medication, for a medical, for an extension of a regular medical form, etc. – as our doctors are booking up fast.Please read on for more important information. ...

Walk-in immunisation clinic & free coffee in Porirua, Sat 16 November

Date: Rāhoroi / Saturday, Te 16 o Whiringa-ā-rangi / 16 November Location: 22 Ngātitoa Street, Takapūwāhia, Porirua Opening hours: 9AM - 2PM Details: Walk-in immunisations - no appointment needed! GiveawaysFree coffee Whooping cough is on the rise in Aotearoa NZ currently - so if you're due for a whooping cough booster (e.g. it's been more than 10 years since your last dose, or you're more than 16 weeks hapū/pregnant) then this is a good opportunity to ge...

Movember is back again!

Movember is a movement as well as "the leading charity changing the face of men's health". Established in 2003, Movember has funded over 1,250 men's health projects around the world and provides support, resources, health information, personal stories, campaigns, and motivation to help improve men's health*. Every November, Movember holds fundraisers in support of men's health and the prevention of deaths by suicide, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. A moustache is the symbol of ...

We are closing at 4PM today - 30 October

We will be unable to see visitors and will be turning our phones off at 4PM today rather than 5PM, as our reception staff have an important meeting to attend. We will reopen and our phone lines will be turned on again at the usual time of 8AM on Thurs 31 October. We apologise for any inconvenience. Ngaa mihi nui. ...

New Covid-19 variant in Aotearoa NZ - reminder to maintain vigilance and precautions

We are heading towards the time of year again where we are likely going to see an increase in Covid-19 cases. Epidemiologists suspect we will have another wave over the summer period, as we did in winter. The new sub-variant, XEC, is highly transmissible, and though it seems it may not be more harmful than Omicron, it has the ability to infect a lot of people quickly. ...

Intersex Awareness Day! (26 Oct)

Te 26 o Whiringa-ā-nuku / 26th of October was Intersex Awareness Day! ...

Closed on Monday for Labour Day

If you need care over the long weekend, please take a look at our After Hours page for advice and information. If it is an emergency, please call 111 or visit your nearest Emergency Department. Wishing all of our patients a safe and enjoyable long weekend! Ngā manaakitanga. ...

What is a nurse practitioner?

As Jasper progresses through his Nurse Practitioner Internship, an important question has been raised by our patients…...

Welcome to the team, Tatiana!

We warmly welcome our newest team member, Tatiana!Tatiana has joined our team of receptionists. She is fluent in Russian, German, and English, and she brings a wealth of healthcare knowledge to our team.We appreciate your patience as she learns to navigate the Aotearoa NZ health system, learns our processes, and of course gets to know our patients!Ngā mihiThe Terrace Medical Centre team...

Queens of the Pacific Health Evening - Porirua, 18 October

The Pacific Health Team of Tū Ora (our Primary Health Organisation) are hosting a Pacific Women's Health Evening campaign that's kicking off with an event in Porirua on 18th October. Events in Te Whanganui-a-Tara and Wairarapa are planned for November, dates to be confirmed.The event flyer is attached below. ...

Practice closing early today (Thurs 10 October) at 4PM

This means our phone lines will be turned off and you will not be able to visit the practice from 4PM today. Please see our After Hours page for information if you need advice or care after that time.We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. The practice will resume its usual business hours on Friday 11 October....

Whooping cough on the rise, high risk of national outbreak

This number is enough to indicate a national outbreak is likely to occur and that the risk of this is high. Cases of whooping cough are currently occurring in all regions and across a range of age groups and ethnicities. ...

Dr Brenda Gibson away on leave Mon 14 Oct - Fri 25 Oct

Mon 28 October is Labour Day, so Dr Gibson will be back at the practice from Tues 29 October. However, she is currently booked up into the first week of November already. Jasper Nacilla (Nurse Practitioner Intern) and Dr Theodoor Meijer are available to see Dr Gibson's patients while she is unavailable. You can book in with either of them through the Well portal or by calling reception. Please note that Jasper is available for in-person appointments only (i.e. not for phone or video co...

Practice closing early on Thurs 10 October 2024 at 4PM

This means our phone lines will be turned off and you will not be able to visit the practice from 4PM that day. Please see our After Hours page for information if you need advice or care after that time.We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. The practice will resume its usual business hours on Friday 11 October....

Estrogel to be available and funded from 1 November 2024

Principal Supply Status has been awarded to Estrogel supplied by Pharmaco, meaning that Estrogel will be the main funded brand of oestradiol gel available in Aotearoa NZ for the next 3 years from 1 November 2024. In particular, if you are being impacted by the oestradiol patch shortage then you may want to consider switching to Estrogel once it is available. You will need to have an appointment to discuss this with a doctor first; see more below. ...

It's Mental Health Awareness Week!

MHAW has been run annually by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand since 1993. As the Mental Health Foundation explains, "Good wellbeing doesn’t happen by accident, it needs nurturing and protecting" — and this includes our mental health. MHAW is a gentle reminder to nurture and protect our mental health and to tautoko/support our friends and whānau with their mental health as well. ...

Provisional approval from Medsafe for the Monkeypox vaccine

The mpox vaccine was previously available to those most at-risk of monkeypox but as an unapproved vaccine. You can read the Manatū Hauroa (Ministry of Health) news article on the vaccine's provisional approval here. Provisional approval means we can now promote the mpox vaccine as a safe and effective preventative measure for those most at-risk of contracting monkeypox! ...

Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori!

Te 14 o Mahuru marks the date in 1972 when Te Petihana Reo Māori (the Māori Language Petition) was delivered on the steps of Parliament in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. ...

Methylphenidate ER tablets (Concerta and Teva) shortage

Both the Concerta and Teva brands have been affected by this. The shortage is caused by a larger global supply issue. According to Pharmac, "The supply issue remains fluid and can change quickly. We cannot predict when various strengths will be unavailable for pharmacies and people."Pharmac also warns that at times both brands of methylphenidate ER may be unavailable, and that they are "anticipating that some people will not be able to access the Teva or Concerta brands of extended-release ...

Mpox update for Aotearoa & for overseas travellers

This is the highest form of alert from WHO. This declaration follows an outbreak of clade Ib, a subtype of monkeypox, in the Democratic Republic of Congo which has spread to neighbouring countries such as Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Central African Republic, and Kenya. ...

Dr Meijer on leave until Mon 23 September

Dr Meijer is currently on leave and won't be returning until Mon 23 September. Our other clinicians will be sharing some of his workload in the meantime, including doing his prescriptions and reviewing his lab results. However, please be aware that there may be a delay in some of these services (except urgent results). If you're a patient of Dr Meijer and need medical care while he's on leave, our Nurse Practitioner Intern, Jasper, is available for appointments and can see you for many...