Taranaki Base Hospital hit an all-time high of 150
presentations in a single day on Tuesday, January 3,
resulting in long waits for many minor conditions, says Te
Whatu Ora Taranaki interim chief operating officer, Wendy
Langlands.
“We realise long waits can also be
distressing therefore we want to remind our community of
other alternatives for minor conditions such as calling
Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free medical advice,”
explains Langlands.
“This number provides 24/7 medical
advice from registered health professionals. They’ll
provide you with advice on caring for yourself or family
members and can also connect you with the health services
you might need.”
“Our local pharmacists are also
registered health professionals who can offer health advice
on a range of common conditions and what kinds of medicine
you might need for coughs and colds, bladder infections, eye
infections, minor cuts and grazes, the emergency
contraceptive pill and a range of other health
needs.”
To find pharmacies, GPs and Urgent Medical
Care Centres open near you, visit www.healthpoint.co.nz
for a comprehensive list of services and
contacts.
With an influx of visitors to the region,
and many GP practices being closed over the holiday period
there has been significant pressure on the region’s ED
departments in New Plymouth and Hawera, says
Langlands.
“Emergencies that are life threatening such
as chest pain, difficulty breathing, or severe bleeding and
pain is the work of emergency departments. If you are
experiencing those, call 111 immediately or have someone
drive you safely to our emergency departments.”
“With
such great weather kicking off the holiday period we want
everyone to have a safe-as-summer, so knowing what your best
healthcare options are will hopefully help you avoid long
waits in our region’s emergency
departments.”
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