Services

Your GP’s surgery is far more than a place to go when you are feeling unwell and needing a quick cure. The doctor who sees you has gone through extensive medical training to equip her or him to help children and adults of all ages with a range of physical and emotional difficulties.

Sometimes your doctor needs to take a sample of blood or urine either to discover what is wrong with you or to measure something in your blood so that the right medication is given to you. These tests could be anything from blood sugar to a full blood count or a sample of tissue to test for cancer.

While urine can generally be tested in the surgery, blood and other specimens are usually sent away for testing at a laboratory. Most results come back within 48 hours unless a very rare test is needed which has to go to a specialist lab further away when it might take a little longer.  If your results are normal and no aaction needs to be taken, you wont hear from us.  Sign up to MyIndici where you can see your results!  Just ask at Reception and they can make this happen for you.

Applicants for New Zealand visas may be required to provide medical and chest x-ray certificates to demonstrate an acceptable standard of health. Immigration New Zealand uses eMedical, an online platform for processing immigration health examinations.

Only doctors who have been approved by Immigration NZ are able to conduct the medical examinations. The immigration officer who assesses the applicant’s visa application will determine whether they have an acceptable standard of health.  We are lucky enough to have Dr. Bezuidenhout on board as the only GP in South Taranaki who can perform these medicals for the Immigration Department.  Please email immigration@mvmedical.co.nz to enquire about these.  We will respond to you within 72 hours.

Minor surgery is commonly provided in primary care practices, providing fast, competent removal and biopsies of skin lesions. Other services include cosmetic work such as removal of benign moles and skin tags.

These conditions do not need to be referred to a hospital, perhaps saving you a long wait or a cancelled appointment when a more serious case takes priority. Ask your health professional about getting lumps and bumps removed.  Reception staff can give you a ballpark figure of what minor surgery will cost.
If your doctor is unable to provide the procedure you need, he/she may know a neighbouring GP who does. Otherwise, the PHO will have a list of GPs trained in particular operations.

All women who have ever been sexually active should have regular cervical smear tests every three years between the ages of 25 and 69. This includes women who have been immunised against HPV. This test detects abnormal cells which, if left untreated, could become cervical cancer. Very often these cells are made abnormal by a human papillomavirus (HPV) which is a sexually transmitted virus. Regular tests and treatment reduces the likelihood of this sort of cancer by around 90%.  In some cases your cervical smear will be free of charge!

For more information about cervical smear tests click on the link to the National Screening Unit website http://www.nsu.govt.nz/current-nsu-programmes/national-cervical-screening-programme.aspx

An ECG is a recording of your heart’s electrical activity. Electrode patches are attached to your skin to measure the electrical impulses given off by your heart. The result is a trace that can be read by a doctor. It can give information of previous heart attacks or problems with the heart rhythm.  Your Health Professional will ask for an ECG to be performed if they have any concerns about your cardiac health.

An Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) is inserted into a woman’s uterus to prevent pregnancy. Depending on the type of device, it will need to be changed after three to five years.
One particular brand of IUCD is often used to reduce heavy bleeding during periods.

Immunisations are provided at Mountainview Medical and are one of the most important services we provide. Immunisation has led to the decline of many lethal diseases including meningococcal B meningitis.

The National Immunisation Schedule offers a series of vaccines free to babies, children, adolescents and adults. Visit the Ministry of Health website http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/immunisation/new-zealand-immunisation-schedule to find out what vaccines are on the Schedule and when they are given. Additional vaccines are provided free for certain eligible groups considered to be at high risk because of other medical conditions; find out more here http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/immunisation/new-zealand-immunisation-schedule. These and other vaccines such as travel vaccines can be purchased by our patients if they want them.

Immunisations are given by a practice nurse or doctor, having ensured beforehand that the person is not ill or suffering from allergies. Risks associated with immunisation are very rare but talk to our Practice Nurses if you have any concerns.

Children have their own document to keep a record of these injections. Under the age of 5 this is usually their Well Child/Tamariki Ora My Health Book. The immunisation record may need to be shown, for example, when starting school or early childcare. Our Nurses will also record the immunisation details on New Zealand’s National Immunisation Register. This computerised information system holds details of all immunisations given to children here and will alert families when immunisations are due.

Liquid nitrogen is a fast, effective treatment provided in our practice to treat viral warts, sun damaged skin, skin tags and many benign cosmetic lesions. It comes in a container with a nozzle and is usually applied by swab or spray. Often one treatment is all that is needed but sometimes it may need repeating after two weeks.
Because it cannot be stored for too long, you will often find that your Healthcare Provider will treat a number of patients one after the other.

For more information click here.

Mountainview Medical offer a range of services and are able to deal with all minor accident care. If they are not able to deal with an injury or you need multiple dressing changes, we will refer on to the appropriate service (e.g. District Nurses)

The easiest and our most preferred way of ordering repeat prescriptions is through our patient portal – MyIndici.  If you have not signed up for this, please give our reception staff a call and they will set you up there and then!

You could also email prescription@mvmedical.co.nz listing all the medications you require, and which pharmacy you would like it sent to.

Spirometry is a tool that measures how effectively your lungs are working. It is able to show how much air lungs are able to hold (their volume) and how much air can be breathed in and out (inhaled and exhaled) which is called flow. This tool is used to assess damage caused by conditions like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – a group that includes bronchitis and emphysema), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis and asthma. Results are shown on a graph called a pneumotachograph.

For more information click on the following link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirometry

• Telehealth consultations for enrolled patients only
• Phone consultations

A virtual consultation is a way of having an appointment with your healthcare provider, but not in person. This is usually done via a video app or a phone call. For more detailed information about telehealth consultations, please contact reception.

All New Zealand children are entitled to 11 free health checks from birth to three years. The checks aim to ensure that children are growing and developing as well as possible. Included in the checks are clinical assessment, health education and family/whānau support.

Baby checks are at birth and then at 24 hours, five days and around 2-4 weeks. Babies are weighed and measured to ensure that they are developing correctly. These sessions provide a great opportunity for parents to ask questions from an expert and have any problem addressed; difficulties with breastfeeding or sleep for example. They can also be used to discuss immunisations and vaccinations. These checks will be carried out by your lead maternity carer (LMC).

Between the ages of 4-6 weeks and three years, there are seven core health checks available, typically these are around 4-6 weeks, 8-10 weeks, 3-4 months, 5-7 months, 9-12 months, 15-18 months and 2-3 years. These checks may be carried out by a Well Child Provider of your choice e.g. Plunket, Māori health provider, community nurse, a general practice team (doctor and practice nurse). Your LMC will be able to give you a list of Well Child Providers in your area.

More information about Well Child services is available on the Ministry of Health website.