Taupō GPs encouraging people to keep with health care needs.

Steph Rangi Reporter from Taupō Times

Taupō GP Dr Bronwen Thomas says Taupō GPs are open and are encouraging people to keep up with all their normal health care needs.

“If patients have a clinical problem or need a prescription they should still ring up their GP as they normally would and we will help them find the right way to resolve it.

Dr Thomas says GPs are managing both routine and urgent care. The full GP service is operational even though much if it is happening in a virtual space.

"As far as acute medical problems go, we definitely want patients to contact us as promptly as normal. So, if patients have an injury, a worrying symptom for example, a pain, a lump, a change with their bowels or their breathing we want to know. We will still manage the problem, send them for any tests they need and refer them on to the hospital specialists when required.

“It may all look a bit different and some routine things may be postponed if safe to do so, but, we are still here doing our job as always,” she says.

Bronwen says that early on at the start of the lockdown, GPS did have to change some pre-booked face to face appointments to phone calls, to ensure not too many people came to the practice. This was done to keep staff and patients safe. Some tests and reviews were postponed where it was safe to do so.

“We are running phone, video and face to face (with doctor or nurse approval) consultations for both urgent and routine care. We will help patients with the safest and easiest option for their individual problem.”

Dr Thomas says GP practices have been working hard to ensure practices have measures in place to ensure the safety of staff and patients from any COVID-19 exposure.

She says the local Community Based Assessment Centre (CBAC) also provides a referral option to GPs for patients with possible COVID-19 i.e. fever or respiratory symptoms; runny nose, sore throat or cough, who need a clinical assessment and swabs.