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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...

E noho rā from Robin

E noho rāAfter so many years at The Terrace Medical Centre, I have made the decision to leave in order to pursue other opportunities in work and life. I have appreciated the wonderful people I’ve met and the excellent teams I’ve worked with here over all those years.I wish all of you the very best. Noho ora mai.Ngā mihi nui,Robin...

The practice will be closed from 4PM today (Tues 3 Sept)

We're closing a little early today: phones will be turned off and doors will be closed to visitors from 4PM. We will re-open at our usual hours tomorrow. We apologise for any inconvenience. If you need urgent advice in the meantime, please check out our After Hours information. ...

Free heart health checks with the Heart Foundation at Kilbirnie Library and the Waitohi Hub in Johnsonville!

The Heart Foundation are providing free blood pressure and heart health checks at the Kilbirnie Library and the Waitohi Hub in Johnsonville during September, October, and November. Pop in during their available times to have your free heart check and a chat. Upcoming heart health check times and dates are: ...

Did you know you can access rongoā Māori as part of your recovery through ACC?

ACC have been offering rongoā Māori since 2020, and the growth in the number of people choosing rongoā Māori as part of their recovery has been enormous! Rongoā Māori is traditional Māori healing. It involves mirimiri and romiromi (physical therapy and bodywork), rongoā rākau (plant-based remedies), and mahi wairua (spiritual therapies). Some rongoā Māori practitioners specialise in one area; others cover all. ...

We're on Facebook!

We've finally jumped on the bandwagon and opened a Facebook page for our patients to follow!Follow our Facebook page here. Although we have our very lovely new website, we understand that it cannot hurt to have information in more than one place - especially in this day and age.We will post practice updates both here on our News page and on our Facebook page, along with health information and services for the season.If you have suggestions on what you want to see, what information you would...

Upcoming events with Age Concern | He Manaakitanga Kaumātua Aotearoa

Age Concern is hosting another Making Connections Day, this time at the St James Theatre. This event is FREE but requires registration as spaces are limited. Hon Casey Costello, the Minister for Seniors, will be giving the keynote speech, and the day will be about making connections with other seniors, with organisations and businesses that can help you, and with Age Concern. Click here for more information and to register. ...

18-24 August is Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea Faka-Tonga – Tonga Language Week!

The theme for 2024 Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea Faka-Tonga – Tonga Language Week is:...

Te 9 o Here-turi-kōkā is International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples!

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples was introduced by the United Nations General Assembly on te 23 o Hakihea (December) 1994 as part of its resolution 49/214. The date of te 9 o Here-turi-kōkā (August) was chosen in commemoration of the first meeting of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Peoples which occurred on this date in 1982....

Consider booking with our Nurse Practitioner Intern next time you need an appointment!

Abdominal painsUpper Respiratory Tract Infections (after being triaged over phone by a practice nurse)Wound infectionsDiabetesUTIsSore throats / throat infections (after being triaged over phone by a practice nurse)Attacks of goutAsthma attacks / asthma reviewsHigh blood pressureMedication reviewsAnd with two of our clinicians unable to see patients in-person with any respiratory symptoms (Dr Meijer and Dr Harris), Jasper may be able to see you instead – though you will still need to be triage...

Gender Minorities Aotearoa's new healthcare database is live!

Gender Minorities Aotearoa have been working on a new healthcare database, with the help of funding from the Rainbow Wellbeing Legacy Fund and input from the trans community and services, and the new database is now live! With the new database you can search for gender-affirming and trans-friendly health service providers by both service type and region, and all entries now contain more information on the services and links to the relevant websites. Listed services include GPs, voice therap...

28 Jul is World Hepatitis Day - get a Hep C test!

Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the Hepatitis C virus. It's estimated that more than 6,000 NZers may currently be living with Hepatitis C without knowing it! While there are common symptoms associated with Hepatitis C, these may not appear for many years after you've been exposed to the Hepatitis C virus. Meanwhile, the infection may still be doing damage to your liver. What are the symptoms?Tiredness, nausea, abdominal discomfort, and yellowing skin and eyes are the most...

Affected by the oestradiol patch (Estradot) shortage? Give Pharmac your feedback on a proposal to fund oestradiol gel!

The current Estradot/estradiol patch shortage is expected to continue through to 2025. However, Pharmac is looking into funding Estrogel, an oestradiol gel product. They are considering having Estrogel supplied by Pharmaco from 1 November 2024. Click here to read more about Estrogel and the proposal.And click here to complete and submit Pharmac's online feedback form on the proposal.Who does this apply to?Pharmac are seeking feedback from anyone who is currently using medications conta...

The flu: know the symptoms & when to seek help

While some people are more at risk of severe illness from the flu than others -- such as pregnant people, older people, people with long-term health conditions, and very young children -- anyone can be at risk of developing life-threatening complications from the flu. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that anywhere from 290,000 to 650,000 people die around the world every year from flu-related illness. The best protection against catching the flu, or developing se...