GPs concerned at drop in New Zealanders seeking medical care

GPs concerned at drop in New Zealanders seeking medical care

GPs and Nurses at medical centres around the country are concerned that people who really need to be seen are not getting in touch to make appointments, with national data showing a steep decline in consultations over the last week.

“It’s really important that anyone who is feeling unwell with any condition, call their local Medical Centre to discuss their situations and symptoms during this lockdown period, says Dr Jeff Lowe - Karori GP and Chair of General Practice New Zealand, whose member networks represent approximately two thirds of general practices, providing health care services to over 3.8 million New Zealanders.

To ensure the safety of patients and staff during the current Covid-19 pandemic, medical centres are seeing people in different ways like phone or online but can still offer face to face appointments if required.

“We’ll discuss consultation options with you when you call,” says Dr Lowe. “This can avoid conditions becoming more serious and people ending up in hospital.

“We need, more so than ever to look after our health, so it’s important we hear from our patients who may be feeling unwell, especially our older and more vulnerable community members.”

More information:

· If you feel unwell call your local GP to discuss whether you need an appointment

· They will let you know what to do next to get the treatment you need

· You may be seen in different ways but you’ll still get the right advice from your medical centre team

· If you want free advice or are worried about Covid-19 symptoms, you can also call Healthline 0800 358 5453