As from Monday November 18th, 2024, Dunedin Urgent Doctors & Accident Centre will no longer be accepting Mornington Health Centre patients unless you have been referred for x-ray by an MHC doctor.

MHC provide our own acute service for registered patients.

• We provide acute and after hours care for our patients from 8am to 10pm weekdays and 9am to 10pm weekends.
• Acute appointments with a GP are booked via our reception team 03 4665011
• There is an acute GP onsite from 9am to 8pm weekdays and 9am to 5pm Saturday and 10am to 5pm Sundays.
• During the hours where a GP isn’t onsite, but we provide care, you can access our services by calling through to be assessed by a nurse who will refer you to a GP if needed.
• We encourage patients who think they may need to see a GP acutely to contact us prior to 5pm so that it is easier to plan their care.
• We also have a Nurse’s clinic with on the day availability to assess and manage acute issues
• To be able to manage the demand, the acute service is for a medically urgent matter only.
• If you present with other issues (such as ongoing non-urgent presentations or repeat prescriptions) you will need to book a routine consultation with your own GP. This ensures continuity of care which means your health is managed more appropriately.
• Minor accidents and injuries (non-life threatening) can be managed through our urgent/acute services and referral for x-ray if necessary.

Please use the link below for more information.

https://www.mhc.co.nz/AfterHoursOnCall

In 2020, changes were made to the New Zealand guidelines around how asthma in adults and teenagers should be treated.   It has been shown that for most people, (even those with mild or exercise induced asthma) that making a simple change in the type of inhaler and how and when you use it, may reduce asthma symptoms in day-to-day life.  This change can also reduce the risk of serious asthma episodes which is really exciting!

The new changes also make asthma treatment much simpler by using only one type of inhaler even when your asthma is playing up.

Please book an appointment to see one of our nurses or doctors to discuss how we can work together to improve your asthma symptoms.

MHC’s policy on wart treatments requires adults with warts to see a GP for confirmation of diagnosis prior to commencing liquid nitrogen treatment with the nurses. This is to ensure that the treatment is the correct course of action.

Tamariki aged 6 months to 4 years who are immunocompromised or have multiple or complex health conditions are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine.

From 9 February a version of the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be available for children aged 6 months to 4 years who are at higher risk of severe disease if they were to get COVID-19.

MHC will not be offering this vaccine, if your child is eligible, you will be able to book a vaccine by:

• calling Healthline on 0800 28 29 26
• visiting nz(external link).

Eligibility criteria for young children

The vaccine is available for children aged from 6 months to 4 years who have the following health conditions:

• chronic lung disease
• serious heart conditions such as congestive heart failure or congenital
• heart disease
• diabetes
• chronic kidney disease
• chronic neurological or neuromuscular disease such as cerebral palsy
• Down syndrome
• a weakened immune system or are on an immunosuppressive
• treatment such as chemotherapy
• severe haematological disorders
• a transplant in the last 24 months.

Children who are not in any of the high-risk categories are not eligible for the vaccine as they have a low likelihood of severe illness from COVID-19.

MHC continues to offer all nursing services including cervical smears and immunisations.  If your child is due for their immunisations, please phone reception to book an appointment. We ask that only one adult accompanies your child to the practice and no siblings if this is at all possible.

MMH is a patient portal which allows you access to your own private health information securely.

You can also book appointments and request prescriptions on line.

To register and receive your own private password for access to your own notes, contact reception on 4665011.

MHC also provides MMH access for children under 16 years.  Parental authority, and patient consent is required (if able), with the expectation that the password and access be changed to patient only access once they reach 16 years.

15 people each day lose the fight against heart disease.  Many of these deaths are preventable.  MHC offer free healthy heart checks to all eligible patients:

• Maori, Pacific or Indo-Asian people: men from 35 years, women from 45 years
• All ethnicities: men from 45 years and women from 55 years

If you are unsure when you should have a healthy heart check, ask your GP or nurse today.