Get Protected Against Pertussis Today

Ostend Medical Centre joins Te Whatu Ora in calling for all high-risk patients, particularly pregnant people, children and high-risk adults, to make sure that they are vaccinated against pertussis (whooping cough).  With the country on the verge of an outbreak, and with life-threatening consequences for young babies and children who contract pertussis, we need you to make sure that you are up to date with your vaccines today. 

Whooping cough causes breathing difficulties and severe coughing, with the cough often lingering for weeks or months.  It can have extremely serious consequences, such as pneumonia and seizures, with more than half of babies under one year old who catch it needing to be hospitalised.  Three children in New Zealand died from pertussis in 2023.   

Pertussis can easily spread between family members through coughing and sneezing, which means that all generations need to be up to date with their vaccines, including grandparents. It can also spread quickly around early education centres and schools and there is fear that the dip in cases over the school holidays won’t be maintained now that children have returned to school. 

Patients need multiple whooping cough vaccines during their lifetimes to maintain protection.  Getting a vaccination during pregnancy is key, as this protects your baby until they can receive their first shots at 6 weeks.  The pertussis vaccine is recommended from 13 weeks of pregnancy and is free for pregnant women. 

Pertussis vaccines/boosters are also free for children and should be administered at 6 weeks, 3 months, 5 months, 4 years old and from 11 years old.  If you’re not sure whether your child is up to date, you can call us on 372 5005 to check. 

The combination tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough booster is also free for many adults, including those from 45 to 65 years old.  If you are over 65 and have not had a tetanus and diphtheria vaccine for over 10 years or haven’t already had a booster since turning 65, you’re also free.  Even if you’re not eligible for a free vaccine, if you are due for a booster, we can order one for you for $45.  Call us on 372 5005 for advice or to book – we are here to help. 

And remember, if you’ve missed a vaccination in the past, it’s okay.  You can catch up on most immunisations, which goes a long way towards protecting your health and that of your loved ones. 

Menopause: Midlife Crisis or Major Opportunity? 

Women live a third of their life post-menopause and Dr Orna McGinn wants to help make it a healthy, positive experience.  At an information session coming up next week, Orna will be separating fact from fiction and myth from effective medical management, with a discussion of common menopause-related issues and their treatment. 

Dr McGinn recently told the Gulf News that ‘hormonal fluctuations around perimenopause can affect every organ in the body, including the brain, bones and skin.’  Because of this, and because menopause can constitute a third of a person’s lifetime, it’s essential to maximise one’s health and wellbeing during this time.  There will be the opportunity to ask questions after the talk, so if you plan to join us, you are also encouraged to bring along your queries for Orna. 

This supportive information session is being held on Tuesday, 22 October from 7-8:15pm in the St John Hall, 5 Belgium Street.  If you’d like to attend, please RSVP to [email protected] or 372 5005.  It is open to the whole community, so feel free to invite friends who are not enrolled at Ostend Medical Centre.   

The talk is free to attend, with a koha to Waiheke Health Trust gratefully accepted. 

Ka Ora Telecare
NZ’s Rural Healthcare Resource

We’ve been pleased to see how many of our patients are choosing to use Ka Ora Telecare, our country’s rural telecare provider, when they have needed non-emergency care outside of our opening hours.  Feedback has been positive, and we agree that when you’re unwell it can be great not to have to leave the house for a doctor’s appointment.   

From 5pm to 8am on weekdays and 24 hours a day on weekends and public holidays, you can access an afterhours appointment with a GP or Nurse Practitioner by calling Ka Ora Telecare on 0800 252 672.  Ka Ora clinicians can provide patients with scripts and refer patients to Hato Hone St John for urgent care.  They also send us comprehensive medical notes, so that we can ensure continuity of care for you.  One of the best things about Ka Ora is that it is FREE for children under 14 years and only $19.50 for those over 65 or Community Service Card Holders.   

We’d encourage you to check out Ka Ora’s website and familiarise yourself with their service, so that if you do need an appointment outside of business hours you know how this option would work for you or your loved ones.  You can find their website here:  https://kaora.co.nz/app/.  Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about how to use Ka Ora as we’d be happy to help you. 

And rest assured that we continue to consult daily with Te Whatu Ora and our Primary Health Organisation, ProCare, on how to make sure that our community has reliable afterhours medical care moving forward.  We believe that these discussions will lead to additional healthcare options for our patients in the coming weeks and hope to have good news to share with you shortly.   

New Funding for Patients with Type 1 Diabetes 

Great news for patients with type 1 diabetes – Pharmac is now funding CGMs (continuous glucose monitors) for eligible patients! 

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are of huge benefit to anyone living with diabetes as they measure glucose levels without a finger prick check.  They also monitor glucose levels day and night, show glucose level trends, and can sound an alarm if your glucose levels go outside your target range. 

CGMs can work alone or be connected to an insulin pump. If you are using a standalone CGM, it sends your readings to a phone or reader device. If your CGM is connected to your insulin pump, it can automatically adjust your insulin dose. 

CGMs can be started for patients at primary care clinics, including at Ostend Medical Centre.  They are of great benefit to all diabetes patients, although the new funding only currently covers those with type 1 or type 3c diabetes. 

Eligible patients just need to book in to see one of the GPs or Nurse Practitioner, who will then write a special authority for the funding.  If you are already using and self-funding a CGM, please bring in the details of the device you are currently using as well as your readings so that we can transition you to the funded programme. 

Pharmac has also made it easier for some patients to access funded insulin pumps.  These can only be initiated in secondary care (for instance, in hospital clinics or by a specialist), so if you’d like to learn more about this, please talk to your diabetes specialist. 

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Our tikanga – Core Principles

Kaitiakitanga
Work as guardians in client care with passion and advocacy.

Whanaungatanga
Collaborate as a team to support our community.

Manaakitanga
Care and respect for people regardless of age, gender or ethnicity.

Pukengatanga
Encompass ongoing learning and development to provide a
knowledgeable and skilled team.

Kotahitanga
Be responsive and seek
innovative solutions.