Ensuring patients have access to care outside normal general practice hours and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions.
PROVIDER AGREEMENT for FIRST LINE GENERAL PRACTICE SERVICES
Version 1.6.2
7.1 First Level Services: First level services must be provided to the Provider's Enrolled Population, available 24 hours a day, every day of the year (including public holidays). These First Level Services must be available for 95 per cent of enrolees within 30 minutes travel time during normal business hours Monday to Friday and 60 minutes travel time after hours. These services shall be provided directly by the Provider or by formal, specific and notified arrangements with another provider or providers able to provide first level services. The Provider will advise the Enrolled Population about how and when they can access the First Level Services.
If your practice is closed or has reduced hours over a holiday period, you can notify your patients in the following ways:
Please make sure formal arrangements have been made with your after hours provider so they know when your practice is open for business or closed.
If you are feeling sick or unwell, always contact your medical centre first.
Please don't head to the hospital emergency department unless it's truly an emergency.
Your GP's after hours response team will help you assess the best treatment and next steps when you or someone close to you is in pain or feeling unwell.
If you have ongoing medical concerns make sure you are always prepared outside of normal business hours.
A free service to support people with non-emergency after hours care needs is available in South Taranaki, covering Hawera, Opunake, Patea, Eltham and Stratford.
Patients can access the service by calling their general practice. After hours the call is answered by a registered nurse who provides a phone assessment. If the nurse determines the patient is suitable for treatment, St John is notified to respond with car-based extended care paramedics (ECPs) who can provide face-to-face assessment and treatment.
ECPs can assess and treat patients with minor wounds, a blocked urinary catheter, a chest infection that may require antibiotics and many other clinical problems.
This service operates from noon to midnight, seven days per week, helping people in the region avoid unnecessary after hours trips to the emergency department at Hawera Hospital for non-emergency conditions.
This service is available from:
In an emergency patient should call 111.
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