New! Extended Care Paramedic Services at Ostend Medical Centre
Hi there
If you come into Ostend Medical Centre on a Thursday or Friday with an acute complaint, chances are that at least the initial part of your appointment will be handled by our newly hired Extended Care Paramedic (ECP), Geoff Martin. The ECP role is not only relatively new to us, it is also an up and coming field in New Zealand, so may be novel to our patients.
To give a bit of background, Geoff comes to us with extensive experience as a Paramedic and has also completed postgraduate training in primary health care. This means that he has the specialist training, skills and knowledge to treat a range of conditions in the community. These include respiratory illnesses, rashes, chest pain and abdominal complaints, as well as things like suturing and managing injuries, which one would expect from a Paramedic.
Geoff’s role is supported by a new initiative from Te Whatu Ora called Comprehensive Primary and Community Care Teams (CPCT). This programme brings additional roles into primary care, as research supports expanding the primary care skill mix to improve health access and equity, especially for Māori, Pacific and rural people. Because Ostend Medical Centre is classified as a rural practice, we applied to have an Extended Care Paramedic onsite with us and were thrilled that the very experienced Geoff was willing to travel from his homebase on the Coromandel to work with us two days a week. Geoff joined us at the end of June and has already been a great asset to the team and patients with his excellent triage and treatment skills. Welcome, Geoff!
Celebrating Our Ultrasound Donors
Waiheke Health Trust hosted a morning tea in late May to thank the over 100 community members who donated to the establishment of an island ultrasound service. We loved being able to express our gratitude in person to these generous supporters and to show them the stunning new ultrasound room and donor recognition wall. Attendees were also able to meet our sonographer Sam Buchanan and to hear directly from those who have benefitted from having scans on the island.
At the party, we shared that since the service began at the end of March, it has been fully booked and that the community’s generosity has already allowed over 325 pregnant, injured or unwell island residents to have their ultrasound scans on Waiheke, saving them a time-consuming, expensive and potentially dangerous trip to Auckland. However, the most important information we heard at the gathering was from midwife Linda Hodson who shared that a baby’s life has already been saved because ultrasound was available on Waiheke.
Sam explained that in addition to maternity scans, ultrasound can also be used to diagnose acute conditions, such as deep vein thrombosis, to aid in the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, and to locate foreign bodies. We have continually heard from doctors, allied health practitioners, midwives and patients that the service has been a gamechanger for healthcare on Waiheke and we are exceptionally proud to have worked with the community to make it possible!
Reminder: Ka Ora for After-Hours Care
It’s been a few months since we mentioned it, so wanted to remind our patients that they have access to convenient, well-priced urgent care through Ka Ora – the country’s rural after-hours telehealth provider.
Appointments are available 5pm to 8am on weekdays, and 24 hours a day on weekends and Public Holidays. You can connect with the Ka Ora Telecare team from 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends and Public Holidays by calling 0800 2 KA ORA (0800 252 672).
You will first be greeted by a Kaiawhina or a Nurse. The team will assess your health needs and book you in with a Clinician if needed. There is no cost to be assessed or to consult with a Nurse. Fees to be seen by a Clinician (Nurse Practitioner, GP or Emergency Doctor) are the following:
Your consultation notes will be sent to Ostend Medical Centre after your appointment, so you don’t need to worry about the consistency of your care.
In addition, the Ka Ora service can prescribe medication just as your GP would. We’d love to hear your feedback on this new service, so if you use
Ka Ora for after-hours care, please let us know how it went!
Thank You, Waiheke Local Board
We recently applied to Auckland Council Waiheke Local Board for grant funding and were delighted to have our application approved to renovate our new Health Improvement Room at Ostend Medical Centre! This cosy space is used by our Health Coach Steph and Health Improvement Practitioner Rozanne to provide FREE support to our patients around healthy eating, exercise, understanding medical conditions, dealing with stress, relationship issues and mental health challenges, and improving sleep.
We believe that caring about the comfort and aesthetic of the environment in which we see people lets them know that they matter to us and are important. It also helps them to feel more at ease, less anxious and better able to engage. We’re so grateful that the Local Board agreed, as we know that the bright new space will lead to even better outcomes for the patients utilising our health improvement services.
Our free Health Coach and Health Improvement services are just one of the ways that Ostend Medical Centre looks after the complete well-being of our patients. If you are interested in learning more about working with Steph or Rozanne, ask one of our clinicians or call our friendly reception team on 372 5005.
Ostend Medical is Accepting New Patients
Having successfully recruited additional staff in recent months, including our new Nurse Team Leader Barbara Sangster and Extended Care Paramedic Geoff Martin, Ostend Medical Centre is now able to accept new patients. If you have friends or family members who have been waiting to join our friendly clinic, please share this news with them.
When new patients join us, they will be booked for a full clinical review with one of our nurses. This will involve a comprehensive review of medical history and regular prescriptions, set up of all recommended recalls, and a physical examination to get up-to-date health information. This means that when a GP appointment is needed by the patient, we will have all the necessary information to see the patient efficiently and effectively.
Feedback from new patients who have joined us this month has emphasised how happy they have been to have the full attention of the nurse in capturing their medical history and health status. They have also praised or friendly reception team, understanding nurses and ease of access and parking, so you can feel confident recommending the clinic to your friends and family members.
New patients interested in joining the Ostend Medical practice can call reception on 09 372 5005.
