https://waikanaehealth.co.nz/flu-2024/

We understand that unplanned issues can come up and you may need to cancel an appointment. If that happens, we respectfully ask for scheduled appointments, where possible, to be cancelled at least 24 hours in advance.

Our doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses want to be available for your needs and the needs of all of our patients. In fact, we run waitlists for each of our doctors, who can take up appointments at short notice. When a patient does not show up for a scheduled appointment, another patient loses an opportunity to be seen.

Calling to tell us you cannot come to an appointment is absolutely acceptable and comes with no penalties. However, we do charge a standard consultation fee to patients who just do not turn up. Of course, prior to this we do a wellness check to make sure you do not need urgent (ambulatory) care, and of course we understand that sometimes patients just forget their appointment. We do send reminders 24 hours prior to the appointment (by text) and if you on MyIndici, our patient portal, you can see your appointments there.

If you have any concerns regarding this matter, please make contact with our Office Manager, by calling 04 2936005, or by email: office@waikanaehealth.co.nz (between 9am and 5pm).

While ACC subsidise some of the costs relating to your injury, they do not cover all costs, which is why we charge you a co-payment. This co-payment is the same rate as a non-ACC consultation charge. There are some charges they cover in full for other health providers (eg specialists and some imaging testing eg MRI) but this is dependent upon the other services you require with the treatment and investigation of your injury.

However, if ACC declines your claim, this may result in further costs to you for your medical care while here at Waikanae Health – this is likely to be in the form of additional materials or procedure fees that they will not have covered, although we may already have provided you with this service.

How will you know if the claim is declined?

ACC will send you a letter, and they will also notify us, at which time we will be in touch with you to talk this through.

What additional costs can you expect to pay?

As we have now aligned ACC co-payments to the same as other non-ACC consultations, there will be no additional fees relating to the consultations. However, if you have been provided wound dressings and/or materials, depending on the cost of supplies there may be an additional charge.

Waikanae Health is unable to guarantee that your claim will be covered by ACC. If you have any questions please contact ACC direct by calling their helpdesk 0800 101 996 or look at their website acc.co.nz.

• Ensuring appointments are available to those most in need; and
• Helping you stay well and not just treating you when you are sick.

Our practice works with our Primary Health Organisation (PHO) Tu Ora Compass Health (Tu Ora) to support the delivery of health care services to you.

When you enrol with Waikanae Health, you agree to share certain information with Tu Ora and Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand to establish your eligibility for subsidised health care. When relevant to your subsidy eligibility, information may also be shared with other government agencies such as Immigration NZ and Ministry of Social Development.

Family Group Accounts and Billing 

For families who are registered under a single account holder, the main accountholder will have access to the billing details of all members within the billing group. This includes appointment times, and associated billing codes for each member. This information is accessible to the main accountholder to assist with managing the family billing. Please let reception know if you prefer to have an individual account or if you prefer to be de-linked from a group account. Children turning 16 will have the option to have an individual account.   

Please contact us If you have any concerns or questions about your personal information. 

We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is respected and always protected. 

*Our Privacy Statement is to be read in conjunction with the Te Ora Compass Health General Practice Privacy Statement.

Download more information here

Other useful links:

• www.privacy.org.nz
• Health Information Privacy Code 2020
• Privacy Act 2020
• tuora.org.nz

The nurse practitioner (NP) role was first established in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2000.

Nurse practitioners undergo advanced education and clinical training, giving them the skills, competence, and legal authority to practice beyond the level of a registered nurse. They provide care for people with both common and complex conditions, including prescribing medications, making diagnoses, and ordering and interpreting tests within their scope of practice.

When you see a nurse practitioner, you can expect them to:

• Take health histories and conduct physical examinations

• Diagnose and treat acute issues like infections and injuries

• Manage complex chronic conditions, helping patients access services to stay at home with their families

• Diagnose, treat, and monitor chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension

• Oversee and monitor treatments

• Order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests (e.g., lab results, X-rays)

• Prescribe medications and treatments within their area of expertise

• Provide family planning and women’s health services

• Offer Well Child care, including screening and immunisations

• Provide adult health maintenance, including annual physical exams

• Deliver culturally appropriate care, particularly for Māori

• Educate and counsel patients on self-care

• Collaborate and refer to other health professionals as needed

• Accept referrals from other healthcare providers

To become a nurse practitioner, a registered nurse must have at least four years of experience in a specific field and complete an approved clinical master’s degree that includes advanced practice and prescribing. They must pass an assessment by an approved panel and complete a minimum of 300 hours of clinical supervision. Every three years, nurse practitioners must demonstrate they have maintained their knowledge and skills when renewing their practising certificate.

Registered nurse prescribing enables nurses to fully utilise their expertise and clinical skills to improve health outcomes. As New Zealand’s population ages and the number of people living with long-term conditions continues to grow, demand for health services is increasing. Nurse prescribing plays an important role in helping to meet this rising demand.

International evidence strongly supports the safety and effectiveness of nurse prescribing. Prescribing nurses are now well established across many health systems globally, with prescribing practices shown to be comparable to those of other authorised prescribers. Research demonstrates that expanded nurse prescribing leads to improved access to treatment, enhanced continuity and quality of care, more efficient use of medical workforce time, stronger interprofessional collaboration, and greater professional satisfaction for nurses.

Nurse prescribers have a specific scope of prescribing and they have to work in a clinical team, unlike nurse practitioners that can work autonomously. We have four nurse prescribers at Waikanae Health.