Totara Health - Flaxmere

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Tōtara Health is a general practice with a focus on providing high quality, low cost health care to our enrolled population.

Tōtara Health is a general practice that is focussed on providing high quality low cost health care to our enrolled population. We work hard to create equity of access to support improved health outcomes to Maori, Pacific and other high needs patients and their families. Tōtara Health has a total enrolled population of 13,900. Of this, there are 9600 (68%) Maori, Pacific and Q5 (high deprivation measure) other NZers. 43% (6080) of Tōtara Health patients are 0-25 years of age.

Tōtara Health is defined by the Ministry of Health as a Very low access practice. This means that we get additional funding because of the percentage of high needs patients and on the understanding that we keep the cost to our patients at a low level. Children and young people under 18 years are free for doctor and nurse consults, and 18 and over $18 to see a doctor, and $15.00 to see a nurse.

Patient centred care approaches are fundamental to Tōtara Health’s philosophy to improve safety and quality of healthcare delivery.

Tōtara Health has formed a strong relationship with a local Maori Health Provider, Kahungunu Health Services, who provide outreach support to families with high health and social needs, and who support them to access health services to improve health outcomes of the family and individuals.

Our Clinics

Tōtara operates from two clinics, one in Flaxmere and one in Hastings. The Flaxmere clinic is the large and modern air conditioned building. Most of the time it has 5-6 doctors, 5-6 practice nurses and 5 medical receptionist/administrators working. The Flaxmere site opens 7 days a week. Tōtara Flaxmere has Physiotherapy and an Oral Health clinic co located with it.

The clinic in Hastings (Tōtara Nelson Street) has recently been expanded with a modern building to meet the growth needs of the practice. The Nelson Street clinic most of the time has 5 GPs and 5 nurses, 2 part time dietitians and a Pharmacist Facilitator. 

The Flaxmere Clinic is open 7 days a week 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 6pm on the weekends. Nelson Street is open 5 days a week with patients able to use the Flaxmere clinic for acute needs from 5pm – 7pm weekdays and 9am – 6pm on weekends. 

The practice is fully computerised with both sites linked to one database of patients. GP’s can also have remote access (from home if required) to the clinical system. The clinical system we use is called Medtech.

Demographics

The Flaxmere clinic serves a community that is predominantly Maori-Pacific and low income New Zealanders.

The patient profile is significantly younger than Nelson Street. Nelson Street has an older group of patients with less Maori and Pacific patients although this is changing as the practice grows.

Other health service providers

The local hospital is 7-10 minutes from both clinics and pharmacies are closer.