Services
+ Patient Portal Health365
A patient portal is used to deliver better care to patients. It offers a secure messaging system between the patient and their GP enhancing their experience in General Practice. We use the patient portal called Health365. If you would like to sign up please complete the CONSENT FORM and send it to us.
Below is a video link which explains how to logon and use the features available on the Health365 portal.
+ ACCIDENTS AND SPORTING INJURIES
We deal with all sorts of accidents and sports injuries on a daily basis. For urgent acute injuries we can usually see you immediately. We have two treatment rooms where most skin injuries are managed. Referral can be arranged for x-rays, further treatment, or specialist opinion.
+ NURSING ADVICE AND CONSULTATION
We have a team of experienced, enthusiastic nurses. “Practice Nursing” is a specialised area of nursing requiring a broad knowledge base and experience of common medical disorders. Our practice nurse team is available directly for advice on all sorts of medical matters and for general health advice. Just a few of the areas they cover are “when to see your doctor”, healthy lifestyle, nutrition, immunisation, allergy, diabetes, high blood pressure, Chronic Kidney Disease Care, smoking cessation, smear tests for eligible patients (please make appointment directly with nurse) and asthma. If you have a question, please ring or you can make an appointment to see one of our nurses directly.
+ REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS
Repeat prescriptions may be requested as long as they are safe and comply with our strict repeat prescribing policy. All repeat prescriptions incur a charge. Please supply full details of medication and quantity required. Ordering your regular scripts through our Patient Portal is an easy and effective way for you to request your regular prescriptions directly from your doctor. Normal scripts require 24 hrs, controlled medications require 48 hrs notice.
A prescription subsidy card is available from your pharmacy when your family reaches 20 items in one year. Subsequent scripts are reduced fee or free at the chemist.
+ YOUR RESULTS
When you are asked to have lab tests or x-rays the results of these will come to your doctor. We will notify you if the results require further action. You can request that your results are notified to you as a matter of course or you could sign up with our Patient Portal and see the results yourself online. Please ensure your contact details are up to date.
+ HOME VISITS
Yes we do home visits! Common belief is that doctors no longer do house calls. In fact our doctors do visit patients at home. There is an extra charge for this and we restrict it to cases who really need a home visit. For most cases it is better for you to come to us, as we have more equipment on site. If you think you need a house call, please speak to one of our nurses who will discuss the appropriate management. House calls are limited to those living in the East Coast Bays area or as arranged with your doctor.
+ MATERNITY CARE
All our GPs and nurses provide early pregnancy care. We can give you pre pregnancy advice, diagnosis of pregnancy and discuss appropriate management.
+ IMMUNISATIONS
Immunisation is the process of boosting your immune system against various diseases. Immunisation is now safer than ever, with new vaccines which cause much less reaction than older vaccines. Our nurses are very experienced in discussing and administering immunisations. We can give your child all his or her childhood immunisations, mostly funded by the government. Because the program keeps changing you should check that your child is up to date with their program. For further information on immunisation see the Immunisation Advisory Centre website www.immune.org.nz
https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/tags/immunisation
+ TRAVEL ADVICE AND IMMUNISATION
If you are intending to take a trip to anywhere overseas, you need to consider the health risks of such travel and take appropriate steps to reduce these risks. One such risk is infections such as Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Malaria, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Yellow Fever, Tetanus, HIV and STIs. Other risks are diarrhoea, Deep Vein Thrombosis (economy class syndrome) and influenza. For advice on all immunisations and health requirements for overseas travel please arrange we recommend you make an appointment to discuss these issues with your doctor at less 3 months before you are due to travel, bringing your full itinerary with you.
Yellow fever vaccination is only available at a few locations in Auckland.
A good travel advice website is Fit For Travel
+ PREVENTIVE HEALTH - MEDICALS
Preventive Health is a huge part of our work and some preventive health is often included in every consultation. A full preventive health check starts with a full assessment of your health risks including family and past history, occupation, examination and investigations where necessary. Early detection of illness or risk factors can enable you to live a longer and healthier life. We invite people for a general medical at 40, 50 and 60. Some people choose to have every second year.
We offer a "General Medical" which consists of a questionnaire, 30 min nurse appointment, blood and urine tests.
Example: Mr Jones, aged 45, came for a full check-up after his wife made him an appointment. His mother has diabetes, but he is well himself. He is found to be overweight for his height and has a suspicious skin lesion on his back, which he hasn’t noticed. Bloods tests show he has a slightly raised blood sugar, which if not treated can lead to diabetes. His blood pressure is normal. Mr Jones received dietary and lifestyle advice from one of our nurses and will have regular blood sugar checks to ensure he stays well. If he forgets we will remind him. His skin cancer was removed, and he will watch his sun exposure and have regular skin checks as well.
+ WELL CHILD
This is prevention in action for children. Your child should have a full check at birth and 1 week with your midwife or paediatrician.
At 6 weeks your child needs their first GP check.
Plunket normally does your child’s 3 and 5 month checks but you are welcome to have a GP check if you choose.
At 6 months your child is due an MMR0 vaccine. (This is only on the Auckland immunisation schedule)
At 9 months your child is due their GP check as well as the Plunket check.
At 12 months your child will be due a set a routine vaccines.
At 15 months , Plunket and your GP do a 15-month medical check.
2 years Plunket does the child check.
Between 4-5 years our Practice nurse will do your child’s 4-year-old immunisations. Plunket now do the B4school check but you are welcome to have a check with your child's doctor too.
These checks will hopefully uncover conditions such as glue ear which can have a profound effect on your child’s development. Some of these checks will be done by Plunket, or perhaps by your midwife – our concern is that they are done. When making an appointment for this service please advise reception that it is for a well child check so they can make the appropriate appointment. These checks are free.
+ CONTRACEPTION AND SEXUAL HEALTH
Family planning is a large part of our work. We can advise you on all types of contraception from condoms, diaphragms, the pill, the injection and the IUCD.
We can perform Jadelle insertions and removals. You can also have these done through Family Planning.
Dr Shelley Stansfield & Dr Rachel Dallimore can fit the standard IUCD or the Jaydess / Mirena device. Please phone one of our nurses first if you would like an IUCD fitted to discuss what is required before the procedure.
We can assist your Sexual Health needs including cervical smears and STI checks. Our nurse Marion is a fully qualified smear taker. We can also advise you on issues of infertility with initial investigations and appropriate referral.
+ YOUTH HEALTH
We have a large number of teen patients. These young people have special needs and we would hope we can attend to these.
One of the issues for young people is that of confidentiality. It is a delicate area for many people. We work to strict rules of release of patient information. It is possible for young people to have their own file, separate from their family. Similarly, accounts can be separate.
One aspect of confidentiality many young people do not think of relates to the general nature of our work. People come to the Practice for all sorts of reasons – from ingrown toenails, warts on fingers, to more sensitive reasons like contraception, unplanned pregnancy etc. No one but you, your doctor and nurse need to know why you are there. Compare this to attending an STI clinic. We work hard to protect your confidentiality.
+ Mole/Skin Checks - Dermoscopy
Dermoscopy involves looking at the skin using a small handheld, magnifying lens (called a dermatoscope), which uses light to show moles and lesions on the skin in detail, this allows us to see below the skin surface to detect skin cancers at the earliest stages before skin cancers are recognisable by the naked eye . Dermoscopy not only helps to diagnose melanoma early and is better than just looking also can distinguish moles from melanoma so less benign moles are removed unnecessarily With skin cancer, early detection is most important. This is why regular skin checks are so important. With early detection, 98% of melanomas can be successfully treated. But if left to a more advanced stage, this figure drops to a concerning 15% All Doctors at BBMC use dermoscopy and Dr Rick Barber has also completed an additional advanced certificate in dermoscopy
+ SURGERY
All our doctors do some surgical procedures. Examples include excision of moles both cosmetic and suspicious for cancer, ingrown toenails and cysts. If you have a suspicious lesion or just don’t like a mole or skin tag, please consult your doctor for further advice.
+ EAR SUCTION
Procedures commonly performed include ear suction to clear stubborn wax. Drs Rick Barber, Eugeen Ong and our nurses do ear suction. You will need to use oil drops for at least 3 days beforehand so please ask us first about this when booking.
+ LIQUID NITROGEN
We have liquid nitrogen available every day for treatment of warts and precancerous skin lesions, using a liquid nitrogen spray gun where necessary.
+ ECG
We have a state-of-the-art ECG machine for heart checks
+ SPIROMETRY
Our spirometer is used to accurately assess asthma and chronic lung disease.
+ DIVING MEDICALS
If you are contemplating a SCUBA diving course, we can perform your PADI dive medical. Make an appointment for a DIVE MEDICAL and bring your PADI dive form.
+ DRIVING MEDICALS
We perform driving medicals on older people and those with heavy traffic or passenger licences. Make an appointment for a DRIVING MEDICAL and bring your driving licence. You will see the nurse and the doctor for this. Fill in the driving medical form as fully as you can before you see your doctor. A driving medical takes up a full appointment. If you have other medical problems, please make an appointment for extra time.
+ IMMIGRATION MEDICALS
Due to government changes, we can no longer perform immigration medicals. Please contact Sunset Rd Family Doctors, Apollo Medical Centre or Whitecross Glenfield for any immigration medicals
+ DIABETES ANNUAL FREE CHECKS
If you have diabetes you should be seen regularly by your doctor and nurse to ensure your diabetes control is as good as possible. You should also have a screening examination for risk factors and early signs of diabetes complications. Risk factors include high blood pressure, overweight and high cholesterol levels. Complications include diabetes eye disease, heart disease, kidney disease and nerve and circulation disorders in the legs. Early detection means treatment is available to help prevent worsening of these disorders. Please speak to your practice nurse first to ensure all your tests are done before this appointment and make an appointment for a DIABETES ANNUAL CHECK. The nurse will discuss with you if you are entitled to this Diabetes Annual Check for Free.
+ REST HOME CARE
All our doctors have some rest home residents, who can be visited as needed.