The team at Wanaka Medical Centre would like to thank you, for your patience and your understanding, as we all navigate these uncharted waters. We wanted to remind you, that even during these stressful times, our team is ready to meet your health needs in a way that keeps us all safe.

Despite the new demands on us to address the development of COVID19 on our community, we still have plenty of clinician availability to meet you, and your families normal healthcare needs. We are adapting the way we work to continue to meet those needs, and keep our practice a safe place to work and to visit.

For example we are:

• Directing suspected COVID19 cases for testing to the dedicated Community based assessment center (CBAC) at Memorial Hall, 1 Memorial Street, Queenstown.
• Treating or testing patients who have flu like symptoms, but who are unable to travel to the CBAC, outside the practice, in their cars or in temporary separate facilities.
• Where possible and appropriate, treating and advising patients via telephone or video appointments.
• Closing our waiting room, and separating internally our practice into patient contact and non contact area’s.
• Ensuring a clinician talks to every patient who wants an appointment first, to see how we can best and safely meet their needs.

So far our virtual consultations have managed to resolve a large percentage of your health needs, but we are still able to perform blood tests and other normal physical procedures safely at our practice. Please remember to call us first rather than come in as our waiting room is closed.

Flu vaccinations are currently not available to us until 8th April 2020. We still expect these to be initially in limited quantities and so we will be prioritising and calling our most vulnerable patients first for vaccinations. We will let all our other patients know when we have vaccines available generally as soon as we know this information.

Your health and wellbeing is extremely important to us, and there are a number of resources being made available locally to help you and your family if you need it, during this challenging time. QLDC is coordinating the resources available in this region, and facilitating ways for the community to access these. We suggest you let them know you need help by completing a welfare registration form via their website.

Maintaining good mental health is important during times of change. Some people will be affected differently to others during lockdown. If you are feeling stressed, anxious or not coping please call us or contact other national resources available, some of which are listed below:

• 1737, free call or text 1737 for support from trained counsellors.
• Mental Health Foundation
• Depression, free text 4202
• Youthline, free text 234
• Anxiety NZ

The Wanaka Medical team is committed to providing a safe workplace, and a safe practice for our patients. If you have any health concerns for you and your family please call us.