Dear Patients:

We are now in Level 4 Lockdown across New Zealand but we ARE still open and working. We have however made some changes to how we are working to protect you so instead of you coming into the Practice, in most cases the GP will phone you for a telephone consultation instead.

What Happened
On 21st March 2020 The College of GP's made an urgent and essential request to all Practices to immediately switch to virtual consultations (phone, email or video).

When
Now. From Monday 23 March we started phone consultations for all appointments except those the GP requested to come in for physical examination, assessment, skin surgery or other treatment.

Why
We must protect our vulnerable patients. We need to reduce the number of sick and vulnerable people gathering in our practices and healthcare centres.

Urgent
We must act now, and have made these serious and drastic changes to ensure that we keep our patients safe and away from cases of Covid19.

• Virtualisation
  During the lockdown, you can still call for an appointment. The GP will telephone you and consult with you over the phone, replacing face to face where appropriate (without compromising patient safety). The charge will be as if you were coming into the Practice and include a script if this is needed.
• Routine care
  Continuity of care is really important, however some non-urgent, routine care may need to be delayed during the lockdown to keep everyone safe.
• Scripts, Lab forms and Referrals
  We will be faxing ALL Prescriptions to the pharmacy of your choice. You will need to advise the Practice of this at time of ordering, or during your phone appointment with the GP. Normal faxed script charges will apply.
• Labtests
  Labtests in Warkworth are reopening Friday 27th March. Whilst we have been asked not to do routine blood tests during the lockdown, there are people who still need bloods, so its great to have our local collection centre reopening. If after phone consultation with the GP bloods are needed, the GP will fax the referral down to the Orewa. Please do not come into the clinic to collect forms. It is better for us to fax and keep everyone safe.
• High Risk Patients
  Immunocompromised, pregnant, patients with complex health conditions and the over 70's need to be extra careful and make sure you are self isolating and avoiding any contact with people other than those in your house.
• Fluvax
  We will be vaccinating people in the car parks, in your cars to minimise contact in the clinic. At this stage we are only vaccinating the people who are eligible for a free vaccine and as supplies are very limited we are only running flu clinics when we have vaccines in stock.
• For the moment as everyone is in self Isolation, you are keeping yourself safe, not just from Covid19, but also from the flu virus, so there is no hurry to come in for your flu vaccine whilst we are in Lockdown, but if you are worried then we are running regular clinics.
• Summerset Falls - Some residents have requested we come to Summerset Falls and run a flu clinic for the village residents and that is certainly something we are looking at, but for the time being, stay in lockdown and avoid contact with other residents.
• After Easter we will also vaccinate our enrolled population ($36) as long as there are vaccine stocks available. Unless its your first ever flu vaccine, or you've had a severe reaction before you will not have to wait the usual 20 minutes and can leave as soon as you are vaccinated. If you feel a severe allergic reaction within 20 minutes please immediately return to the clinic.

COVID-19
If you suspect you have Covid 19, where you have a high temp over 38, a sore throat, dry cough and shortness of breath and where you have recently travelled or been in contact with someone who has the virus, and you are concerned you may have it. Please phone the Covid Healthline number on 0800 3585453.

These are extraordinary times and require extraordinary measures. We are at a crossroads. If we do not act immediately, we will lose an important opportunity to help control this virus and save lives.

We wish you all the best at this very difficult time.
Kawau Bay Health Practice Team