If you or your whānau are unwell or injured, we want to
help you get the right care in the right place. That’s the
message from Therese Manning, Emergency Department (ED)
clinical nurse manager at Te Whatu Ora in
Taranaki.
Winter, particularly during the school
holidays, is a time when Taranaki hospitals come under
increasing pressure due to injuries, influenza (flu) and
other respiratory illnesses that are common during the
colder months.
“We’re asking our community to focus
on looking after their health and wellbeing, prevent the
spread of winter illnesses, and to be aware of the range of
healthcare options available to them in the community for
non-urgent health concerns.
“By non-urgent, we mean
coughs, colds, fevers, earaches, strains, sprains and cuts.
Basically, a range of injuries and symptoms that would be
better managed at home, or by the community-based healthcare
services available,” says Mrs Manning.
These include
Healthify (formerly known
as Health Navigator), a fantastic website for anyone looking
for free, easy to understand information and tips on
treating common health conditions, or advice on when to seek
more help.
If you’d like to speak to a health
professional if you or your whānau become unwell, call Healthline
for free on 0800 611 116. Nurses, paramedics, and doctors
are available 24/7 for free medical advice. You can choose
to speak with a Māori clinician if you’re calling between
8am – 8pm. Interpreter services and NZ Relay support are
also available.
Community pharmacies are another great
option for health advice on common health issues and
medications. These include coughs and colds, bladder
infections, eye infections, minor cuts and grazes, the
emergency contraceptive pill and a range of other health
needs.
The next option is booking an appointment with
your general practitioner (GP) or Māori healthcare
provider. They are the best option for your non-urgent,
long-term health issues as they can provide ongoing care
appropriate to your specific needs.
Children under 14
receive free healthcare; a Community
Services card can lower the cost of some health services
and prescriptions for people 14 and over.
For out of
hours or urgent treatment when your GP isn’t available,
there are several urgent care clinics in Taranaki. These
include Medicross and Carefirst (Westown) in New Plymouth,
and South Taranaki Rural Health General Practice (the
Practice) in Hāwera. You do not need to be enrolled at
these clinics to access their services.
To find
pharmacies, GPs and urgent care clinics open near you, visit
the Healthpoint
website. This website also provides information on
practices in the region currently enrolling new
patients.
Got no data or wifi? No problem. Healthify,
Healthpoint and other essential health and wellbeing
websites can be accessed for free by visiting Zero.govt.nz. This site
provides shielded access so people can search information
without it showing up in their internet browser
history.
To help stay well, people are also encouraged
to get their COVID-19 booster, their flu vaccine and make
sure their tamariki are up to date with their childhood
vaccines. Book your flu and COVID-19 vaccines now at www.BookMyVaccine.co.nz,
or contact your GP, pharmacy or healthcare
provider.
For COVID-19 support and advice call the
Taranaki COVID Hub on 0508 436 374.
“Of course, it is
very important that people experiencing an emergency call
111 for an ambulance, or go to the closest ED. But we thank
the Taranaki community for knowing their healthcare options
and continuing to choose the right service for their
non-urgent health needs,” adds Mrs
Manning.
© Scoop Media
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