Tarawera Medical Centre celebrates 30 years

The original 104 Onslow Street building
Margaret Paul and Christine Tew at Reception
Dr. Tony Whitehead looking a little younger than in 2019
Margaret Paul celebrates 30 years with Tarawera Medical Centre
Aerial view of the Tarawera Medical Complex comprising Tarawera Medical Centre, Tarawera Pharmacy, Tarawera Physiotherapy and Pathlab
Entry to Tarawera Medical Centre
View from the Pathlab side of the complex
Tarawera Pharmacy and Tarawera Physiotherapy with Tarawera Medical Centre and Pathlab beyond
Pathlab, Tarawera Medical Centre and Tarawera Pharmacy and Tarawera Physiotherapy
View from Onslow Street

On 5 September 2019, Tarawera Medical Centre celebrated 30 years since opening in Kawerau. One of our staff, Margaret Paul, has been with the practice since it opened in 1989 and had been practice nurse with one of the practices that formed the Medical Centre prior to the opening. Before  that she had been one of the midwives at the Kawerau Maternity Unit (along with Jeanette Edwards, another of the current Practice Nurses) so has made an incredible contribution to the population of Kawerau. 

This 30 year milestone was celebrated with a morning tea and presentation to Margaret in recognition of her service to the community and the Medical Centre.

The gallery of images has a few from the film days of 1989 and some more recent pictures. Margaret is only one of our dedicated staff, many who have years of service and are the backbone of the medical centre team. 

30 years has seen some remarkable changes with handwritten appointment books, records and scripts being replaced by computerised systems.  In 1989 Tarawera Medical Centre became the first group practice in Kawerau with doctors Tony Whitehead and John Anderton, and offered visiting Orthopaedic specialist clinics which continue to this day. Addition of an onsite  Medical Laboratory service was another first for Kawerau. More recently Tarawera Pharmacy and Tarawera Physiotherapy, which are independent businesses, added to the range of services available onsite. Tarawera Medical Centre has always been completely owned by the practicing doctors so we have been able to pursue a philosophy of quality care without the pressure of outside shareholders prioritising profit over patients. A number of our staff have  pursued further study and qualifications to expand the range of medical, surgical and nursing services available to patients in Kawerau.

Influenza Vaccine

The annual Influenza vaccine is now available. Drop in as soon as convenient to avoid a last minute rush.

It is free to those over 65 and patients under 65 with certain medical conditions. Shingles vaccine is also funded for patients between 65 and 80 and can be given at the same visit.

Thie influenza vaccine may be contraindicated for patients on 4 specific anticancer treatments so please advise the staff if taking any of the following from an Oncologist;

  • atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ®),
  • ipilimumab (YERVOY®),
  • nivolumab (OPDIVO®)
  • pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA®)

 

Welcome to Dr. Beth Walsh

Dr. Beth Walsh

Regular visitors to the practice will have noticed a new face at the Tarawera Medical Centre. Dr. Beth Walsh joined us in January of this year and has settled into the team very smoothly.

Prior to joining the practice she spent some time working at Whakatane Hospital so is familiar with the local healthcare services at both a primary and secondary level.

Summer Holidays 2018-19

Kotare in a Pohutukawa tree

Tarawera Medical Centre would like to wish all our patients a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. This week is the last normal week before the holidays with the following 2 weeks having Tuesday and Wednesday as Public Holidays. Now would be a good time to check that you have enough of your medicines to last through the holidays and order/collect repeats this week if needed.

We will be closed on Christmas and Boxing Day, New Year and 2nd January but open normal hours on;

Monday 24th and 31st December

Thursday 27th December and 3rd January

Friday 28th December and 4th January

When we are closed the normal nurse triage is available by phone as is the GP afterhours service at Whakatane Hospital.

Sun Protection

The apparent early arrival of summer this year with stunning Labour Weekend weather is a timely reminder to be SunSmart.

This Sun Protection Alert updates daily with the seasons as a reminder for the hours protection is needed.

Another useful tool is the New Zealand developed smartphone app UVLens which is available for  Apple iOS and Google Play for Android. The UVLens app allows you to personalise the warnings to your skin type, hair colour etc.

Sun protection is the main method we have to prevent skin cancer. Research confirms that it is never too late to use sun protection with people later in life who use regular sunscreen having fewer skin cancers than those who use it intermittently. In Australia melanoma rates have peaked and are starting to drop as the group targeted by their SunSmart campaign are replacing the generations who grew up with no sun protection. Unfortunately in New Zealand we are not yet seeing that trend and dying of melanoma is not something we want to beat the Australians at.

Enjoy the lovely sunny weather but remember to be SunSmart.