Be sure to keep up with any updates and news via our Facebook page.

We will be closed from 1pm on Tuesday, 24 December 2024, and open again from Monday, 6 January 2025. During this time, if you need medical attention, please continue to call our phone line (09 579 0563) where you can speak to a triage nurse and get advice on what to do next. You can also call Healthline for advice on 0800 611 116. Alternatively, if you are after an online appointment with a GP, please check below for our special Christmas offer with CareHQ.

In an emergency, please call 111. Visit Te Whatu Ora to find your nearest Urgent Care if needed.

Introducing our new Practice Manager!

We are excited to introduce Chloe King as our new Practice Manager. Chloe is originally from the UK and has a background in midwifery and community health. We are excited to have Chloe come on board, be sure to say hello if you see her around the practice!

We would also like to say a massive thank you and farewell to Celanchia (Cici) Espin for all her incredible work, as she departs Mt Smart Medical to embark on her next adventure.

Book to see a GP online over the Christmas break

If you are unwell over the summer break* and need to see a doctor, or if you are out of town for the holidays, we recommend a virtual appointment with a doctor through CareHQ. From Monday 16 December 2024, through to Sunday 19 January 2025, you can access online appointments with an expert CareHQ GP. CareHQ provides booked appointments with a real GP from 7am-9pm, 7 days a week including public holidays. The cost of this for a standard 10-minute appointment will be:

• $49.95 for standard users
• $19.50 for Community Service Card holders.

Please note, this is subsidised down from the standard cost of $79.95. We are pleased to be able to offer this service to our patients to ensure that they have access to medical care should they need it, right throughout the Christmas holidays, thanks to special funding from ProCare.

To see a virtual doctor, all you need is a computer or smart phone. Open your MyIndici patient portal online or smartphone app, click "Book Appointment and scroll down until you see 'Other Telemedicine Consultation Services, click on CareHQ. Select a GP 10 minute appointment, either CSC or non-CSC and ‘continue’. From here you will be asked to enter some standard details before confirming and making payment.

Please note, you will be required to enter your Community Services Card number for CSC appointments.

Once you book an appointment, you will receive several email and text reminders, including a secure link which you click on just before your appointment to be connected to the doctor. If you need a prescription or tests, this can be arranged for you during your online appointment and then sent to the appropriate pharmacy or testing centre.

You will receive a text message or email 15-minutes prior to your appointment, with a video link to start the virtual appointment. If you have unreliable wi-fi, not enough data, or do not start your virtual appointment, your GP may call you for a phone consult instead.

Please note, virtual consults are suitable for most medical needs, sicknesses or injuries, from common colds, urine infections, migraines and repeat scripts for your pharmacy, through to acne and health counselling. As standard, if you have a medical emergency such as severe pain, collapse, or shortness of breath, please call 111 immediately.

* This offer runs from Monday 16 December 2024 – Sunday 19 January 2025 (subject to demand).

MyIndici Patient Portal Update

If you haven’t already set up your MyIndici patient portal, now is a great time to do so! This will ensure you can take advantage of the above offering over the break if you need it, book future appointments with your regular GP, and now you can even pay for repeat prescriptions, view and pay any outstanding accounts, and check your lab results and vaccination records directly through your MyIndici patient portal.

You can register for a MyIndici account here. Once you have registered with MyIndici, you can log in to your patient portal here.

Repeat Prescriptions

So we can manage your repeat prescriptions during the period we are closed, please check now to see that you have enough medication to last between Friday 20 December 2024 to Monday 6 January 2025.

If you are likely to run out of any of your medication during this time, then please request a repeat script via MyIndici, or call us now on 09 579 0563 to organise a repeat prescription ahead of time - this must be done by Tuesday 17 December.

Pertussis/whooping cough vaccinations

You may have heard that whooping cough/pertussis is going around and affecting some people in our community. If you don't know, whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection that affects the respiratory system and can lead to a serious long-term coughing illness and is particularly dangerous for babies. The National Public Health Service has now declared this a national epidemic.

Whooping cough vaccines are fully funded for:

• pregnant people from 13 weeks
 • all children under 18 years
 • adults aged 45 to 65 years.

Vaccinations and boosters for whooping cough are available at Mt Smart with a scheduled appointment. Please note, charges may apply if you do not qualify for the funded vaccination. If you are unsure if you need a vaccination, please call on (09) 579 0563 to speak with the nurse.

More information about whooping cough can be found on the Health New Zealand website here.

Cervical Screening - Be in to win a Christmas Hamper

To celebrate one year since the introduction of HPV self-swabs, taking away the need for many patients to have to have traditional smear testing, we have a Glow Lab Christmas gift hamper for one lucky winner!

HPV is the primary cause of cervical cancer and a simple swab is all it takes for many patients.

To be in the chance to win, have your cervical screen completed at Mt Smart Medical before Friday 20 December. Call our friendly team on 09 579 0563 to book your appointment.

Summer Wellness

Financial health: The holiday season can bring with it financial stress for many people. Remember that entertainment can be free and fun at the same time. Check out some of these free activities that you can enjoy around Tāmaki Makaurau this summer.

Stay safe over the summer: With the return of summer, it's a great time to make sure you're safe while out and about. Check out the following advice on looking after yourself in the sun and also around the water. Finally, it's important to relax and unwind after a busy year, so here's a few ways to enjoy a healthy festive season.

Thank you for your support over the past year, it has been a pleasure to work with you on your health and wellbeing for another year.

Kia tino hari kirihimete me te tau hou haumaru me te harikoa
Have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year

Ngā mihi,
The Mt Smart Medical Centre Team