Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Best wishes to all our patients for a safe and happy New Year. Just a reminder that we are closed only for the stat holidays and will reopen on Tuesday 5th January.

Our regular patients will know by now that Dr. Louisa Barter is back from maternity leave and that Dr. Rachel Shouler, who provided cover during Louisa’s leave, has decided to stay on at the Tarawera Medical Centre. Rachel had been doing various locum jobs and has really enjoyed being part of our stable, supportive and collaborative team and she brings skills and experience that complement the other doctors well. She has proven very popular and already has a loyal following of appreciative patients. Like Louisa she is very experienced and it is nice to offer our patients the option of an experienced, well qualified lady doctor every day of the week. When you make a doctor’s appointment you can be assured that you will always be seen by a doctor and not expected to discuss your personal issues with a health care assistant with limited training. Our fully qualified nurses are also available for nurse appointments and will refer you on to a doctor if that is what is needed to properly manage your health issues.

Another reminder to stay sun smart in the summer. We have had a real spate of melanomas referred in from around the EBOP in the past few weeks and prevention is better than cure. If you notice any new or changing moles please get them checked as even melanoma if picked up early can be managed safely but if left too long can be devastating.

Merry Christmas

Adelie_D814466-6x4Christmas

Wishing all our patients a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Tarawera Medical Centre will be open normal hours apart from the statutory holidays over the next 2 weeks. Check your medications to make sure that you have enough to cover for the holidays especially if travelling away. Email script requests can be made and we will fax your script to your pharmacy without punitive fax surcharges. As always when you make a doctor appointment you are always seen by a doctor. Happy holidays, travel safe if on the roads and remember to “slip, slop, slap and wrap” when enjoying the outdoors.

Stoptober

Stoptober information display in the waiting room thanks to Sarah Morris

Stoptober information display in the waiting room thanks to Sarah Morris and Keri Kora

Stoptober is an initiative to support people to stop smoking for 31 days and Tarawera Medical Centre is actively involved to help patients wanting to take up the challenge. There are plenty of health and financial benefits to quitting and having a target of 31 days makes it easier to contemplate. There a number of support options as well as prizes to help keep motivation up. See the Stoptober website for more information on how to sign up. We have had plenty of patients sign up for the program so if you want to make the deadline sign up before the beginning of October. Stop smoking support is available all year so if you miss the deadline just chat to one of the doctors or nurses for details.

Hampers to win in the Stoptober Challenge. What you could buy for the cost of 1 or 2 packs of cigarettes

Hampers to win in the Stoptober Challenge. What you could buy for the cost of 1 or 2 packs of cigarettes.

Blue September – Give the finger to prostate cancer

Sarah Morris (receptionist and resident artist), showing nurse Shannin Howe the Blue September display she created in the waiting room.

Sarah Morris (receptionist and resident artist), showing nurse Shannin Howe the colourful Blue September display she created in the waiting room.

Blue September promotes screening for prostate cancer and could be considered a man’s equivalent of a smear test for women. Early detection can can prevent a life threatening cancer. Men over 40 are advised to have their initial test and over 50 an annual blood test and examination and we encourage all our male patients to come in to discuss this and any other health concerns.  Appointments can be made with any of our male or female doctors and at Tarawera Medical Centre you do not need to discuss your personal issues with a health care assistant before seeing a doctor. See these links for more information on Blue September and Prostate Cancer.

Awards again for Tarawera Medical Centre

Jackie Morris with the awards. Excuse the "Nigh Needs" typo from the PHA caption

Jackie Morris with the awards. Excuse the “Nigh Needs” typo from the PHA caption!

At the recent Eastern Bay PHA annual awards evening, Tarawera Medical Centre was again recognised for their consistent high quality clinical work, receiving the awards for highest achieving practice for immunisation up to 8 months for both total population and high needs patients. This follows a similar award recognising immunisation efforts at last year’s awards evening. It is great to see the hard work of our staff recognised as our highly qualified and experienced nurses are a fantastic asset and integral part of our team.

The Tarawera team arriving at the awards evening. Christine Yeoman, Jackie Morris, Tracy Wilson, Shannin Howe and Sarah Morris.

The Tarawera team arriving at the awards evening. Christine Yeoman, Jackie Morris, Tracy Wilson, Shannin Howe and Sarah Morris.