Frequently Asked Questions

a. It is recommended safe practise that patients are reviewed either face to face or via phone consultation, at least every 6 months for their ongoing medications noting that certain medications may require more frequent reviews. Where there are requests via the Portal or by phone and the period is beyond 6 months, patients will be asked to come to see a GP.
b. We also encourage you to request your repeat prescriptions via Portal (Health 365)
c. Charges apply for repeat prescriptions. This covers the clinician’s time to review notes, determine whether repeats are due, and ensure medications are currently necessary. Repeat prescriptions are not covered by government funding which means the practice needs to charge a fee.
d. See our Repeat Prescriptions Policy here for further information.

A. General practice consultations are only partially funded by the government. There are two types of contracts for funding general practices.
i. Very low-cost access funding contract; where the government restricts the patient co-payment fee for all adults to $19.50 and the government funds the rest of the fee. This contract has always been limited to practices who have a high percentage of Maori, Pasifika, and low-income patients.
ii. Interim contract- where there is less subsidy from the government and adults without community service cards pay more because the government subsidises less for their care. Peninsula medical centre is funded under the interim contract meaning we receive less for our patients and need to charge accordingly.

a. Our normal policy is for payment to be made at the time of consultation. You can also pay online. If you need to defer payment, this needs to be arranged with our Receptionists, prior to your appointment commencing. If an account is not paid and no arrangements have been made with the Practice, initially there will be an additional non-payment fee charged.  After a period, accounts that are not paid may be passed on to a debt collection agency. All costs incurred with this are passed on to the patient via the collection agency.
b. View our terms of trade terms of trade for more information
c. For patients on a low income, you may be eligible for a Community Services Card which would reduce the cost of your care.  Refer to card https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/community-services-card.html

a. If your child is unwell, you can contact us to book an appointment with one of our doctors. We offer same-day or next-day appointments. If you’re unsure whether your child needs to be seen, one of our nurses can provide advice to help you decide the best course of action.
b. For urgent concerns outside of our operating hours, please contact Healthline at 0800 611 116 or visit your nearest after-hours clinic or emergency department.

A. Funding agreements between the practice, ProCare Pho, and Health New Zealand, require that patient identities and eligibility for funded health services are validated by birth certificate, passport, and/or appropriate visa status.

a. The doctor or nurse will contact you if there is something in your test results that requires follow up. You will not routinely be contacted if your results are normal. The best way to receive your test results is through our patient portal (Health365). You can sign up in clinic or by completing this Health365 Registration Form. Results will only be available on the portal after they have been reviewed by your GP.

a. We have staff that speak a variety of other languages. These include Mandarin/Cantonese Chinese, Hindi, Tongan, Tagalog,  Japanese, Afrikaans, and French. We can assist with interpreter services for other languages if required. If you require an interpreter for your consultation, contact us at admin@peninsulamed.co.nz with your name and contact information, requesting an interpreter, and advising us of the language you speak.

a. Yes, you can request a female doctor when booking your appointment. We understand that some patients may feel more comfortable seeing a staff member of a specific gender. We will do our best to accommodate your preference. However, availability will depend on staff schedules, so we encourage you to inform us of your as early as possible.

a. We will send a reminder txt the day before your appointment. If you no longer need your appointment or are unable to attend, please contact us as soon as possible. We require a minimum of 2 hours notice for cancellations, to avoid a $40.00 late notice cancellation fee. A $40 missed appointment fee applies to all appointments (including children) if we are not notified. Please see our terms of trade for more information.