Kia ora Koutou,

As we head towards the end of another busy year, we wanted to share some important updates with our patients.

🎄 Christmas & New Year Closure

Travis Medical Centre will be closing at midday on Thursday 24 December 2026 and will reopen on Tuesday 5 January 2027.

If you take regular medication, please order your repeat prescription nice and early so you have enough medication to last through the holiday period.

Please allow 3 working days for your prescription to be completed by your enrolled practitioner.

🏥 Medical Care While We Are Closed

Riccarton Clinic, 4 Yaldhurst Road, will be available to see Travis Medical Centre patients while we are closed.

Please contact Riccarton Clinic directly for their opening hours and services over the Christmas and New Year period.

💊 Prescription fees

From 1 October 2026, our prescription fees increased.  We last increased in July 2024

• Standard prescription – 18 years and over: $30
• Standard prescription – CSC: $18
• Urgent prescription: $40
• Urgent prescription – CSC: $25

Please allow 3 working days for your prescription to be completed by your enrolled practitioner

📝 We Would Love Your Feedback

In the next couple of days, you will receive an email with a link to our Travis Medical Centre Patient Survey.

We really value your honest feedback. It helps us understand what we are doing well and where we can improve, so we would really appreciate you taking a few minutes to complete the survey.

Please note that the survey link is only valid for a short time, so please complete it when you receive it.

👋 Some Changes to Our Team

We have had a few staff changes over the past three months and would like to introduce some new faces to the Travis Medical Centre team.

Welcome to our new team members!

We are delighted to welcome Olivia Lissaman, our new Registrar, who will be with us until the end of January 2027

We have also welcomed two new Nurses, Sarah and Anna. Both bring a wealth of experience, and we are very excited to have them join our practice.

Anna is also trained in ear suction, which means our Wednesday afternoon Ear Clinic has now reopened.

Our Ear Clinic is available to both registered and non-registered patients. Appointments can be booked through reception or the patient portal.

 

👋 Farewell and best wishes

We have also said goodbye to our previous Registrar, Dr Anton Wood, who has completed his placement with us, and Nurse Robin, who has taken up a new position at the Diabetes Centre.

We wish them both all the very best for the future and thank them for their contribution to Travis Medical Centre.

💙 Farewell to Dr Arthur Collins

After an incredible 14 years at Travis Medical Centre, Arthur has announced his retirement.

His final day with us will be Wednesday 25 November 2026.

Over his 14 years at Travis MC, Arthur has formed many lovely relationships with both patients and staff. His experience, knowledge and particular skill in minor surgery have been greatly valued, and he will certainly be missed around the practice.

We would like to thank Arthur for everything he has contributed to Travis Medical Centre over the years and wish him a very happy and well-deserved retirement.

🚶 Please Remember – We Are Not a Walk-In Clinic

We understand that sometimes you may feel you need to be seen urgently. However, Travis Medical Centre is not a walk-in clinic, and arriving at the practice without an appointment puts significant pressure on our reception and clinical staff.

Unplanned walk-ins can also result in our GPs running late for patients who already have appointments booked.

If you need to be seen urgently:

Please call reception first. Our reception team can arrange for a Nurse to triage you over the phone and help determine the most appropriate next step.

If you require a service that is designed for walk-in care, 24 Hour Surgery is available for this purpose.

🚨 In an Emergency

Please always call 111. The 111 team can triage your call and advise you on what to do.

Thank you for helping us keep our appointments running smoothly and allowing our clinical team to provide the best possible care for everyone.

🎄 From all of us at Travis Medical Centre

Thank you for your continued support throughout 2026.

 

Kia ora koutou,

Welcome to Our New Team Members

We are delighted to welcome two new members to the Travis Medical Centre team.

Katie has joined us as our new Healthcare Assistant. Katie will be supporting our clinical team, supporting both patients and staff to help ensure your visit runs as smoothly as possible.

We also welcome Alana, our new Health Improvement Practitioner (HIP). Alana provides free support for patients experiencing stress, anxiety, low mood, or other challenges impacting their wellbeing. If you feel you could benefit from speaking with Alana, please ask your GP or contact reception to find out more.

📅 Missed Appointments (DNA – Did Not Attend)

We are currently experiencing a high number of missed appointments (DNAs). With appointments in high demand, it is frustrating when appointment times go unused, as they could have been offered to another patient needing care.

If you are no longer able to attend your appointment, please let us know at least 2 hours before your scheduled time. This gives us the opportunity to offer your appointment to someone else.

Please note that a $20 fee will apply to all missed appointments (DNAs), regardless of the patient’s age, where sufficient notice has not been given.

Thank you for helping us make appointments available to those who need them.

Bone Health 🦴

An adult human body has a total of 206 bones.

Our skeleton provides structure, protects our internal organs and enables us to move.

Our bones are active, living tissue made up of cells, blood vessels, proteins and minerals. They are continually being strengthened and renewed in a process called ‘remodelling’. Osteoclasts are cells that break down old bone, while osteoblasts make new bone. At any age we should look at ways to think about our bone health, so we can live an independent life well into old age.

Small changes to our lifestyle can make a difference and reduce our risk of developing osteoporosis (a condition where our bones become thin and fragile, increasing our risk of having a fracture).

Ways we can protect our bones include moving our bodies regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking or drinking too much alcohol (no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day, with at least 2 alcohol days per week) and eating a balanced nutritious diet with adequate protein and calcium. Also by making sure our homes are free from any hazards that may cause us to fall.

If you are wanting to look at ways to become more active or improve your diet, you can book a funded appointment with Kirsty, Travis Medical’s Health Coach.

If you want to know your personal risk of osteoporosis you can take the “know your bones” self -assessment, just click on the link: https://www.knowyourbones.org.nz/

 

Patient Portal Update 💻

We are aware that some patients are experiencing difficulties logging into the patient portal.

We understand how frustrating this is and have raised the issue with MyIndici. They are aware of the problem, and we appreciate your patience while it is being resolved.

If you need assistance accessing your health information or booking an appointment, please contact our reception team.

🔒 Your Privacy Matters

At Travis Medical Centre, protecting your personal and health information is one of our priorities.

We have recently updated our Privacy Policy to reflect current privacy requirements and to ensure we continue to meet our obligations when collecting, using, storing, and sharing your personal information.

Our Privacy Policy explains:

• How we collect and use your personal information.
• When we may share your information with other healthcare and community providers.
• How your information is kept secure.
• Your rights to access and request corrections to your health records.

A copy of our full Privacy Policy is available on our website, or you can request a printed copy from reception at any time.

 

💊 Prescription Requests

To help us process prescription requests safely and efficiently, please allow three working days for repeat prescriptions.

Where possible, prescriptions are written by your enrolled clinician, who knows your medical history best. As our clinicians do not work every day, allowing sufficient time helps ensure your prescription can be completed by the appropriate provider.

Thank you for planning ahead and helping us provide safe care.

🩺 Southern Cross Members

If you are a Southern Cross member, we can claim in-person consultations and telephone consultations directly with Southern Cross.

Please note that prescription fees cannot be claimed directly by the practice. You will need to pay and then submit your receipt to Southern Cross for reimbursement.

Nurse Telephone Advice ☎️

Our experienced nursing team provides valuable telephone advice and support, often helping patients manage their concerns without needing a GP appointment.

Please be aware that some nurse telephone consultations may incur a small fee. If a charge applies, we will let you know.

Thank you for recognising the expertise and care our nurses provide.

Meet with Kirsty – Our Health Coach 🧘🚶

Kirsty, our Health Coach, offers free wellbeing support for enrolled patients.

She also runs:

• Swimming every Friday afternoon at QE2’s Hydrotherapy pool.
• Walking Group every Thursday morning.

If you would like to join either group or book an appointment with Kirsty, please contact reception or book through the patient portal.

Sharee –Our Social Worker 🧑‍🤝‍🧑

Are You Receiving All the Support You’re Entitled To?

If you’re receiving support from Work and Income (MSD) or you are unsure whether you are getting all the assistance you may be entitled to, our Social Worker, Sharee may be able to help.

Sharee can provide information about benefits, allowances, and other support that may be available, and assist you with navigating the application process.

If you would like to discuss your situation, please contact the practice and ask to speak with Sharee, this is a free service for our enrolled patients.

Free Cancer Screening 🎗️

Breast Screening

Free mammograms are available every two years for women aged 45 to 69 years.

Bowel Screening

Free bowel screening is available every two years for eligible people aged 58 to 74 years.

You will automatically receive a free bowel screening kit in the mail around the time of your eligible birthday.

To check your eligibility, visit the Health New Zealand website.

Introducing AI-Assisted Clinical Note-Taking

Some of our clinicians are using a secure AI-assisted clinical note-taking tool during consultations.

This technology helps clinicians accurately document your consultation, allowing them to spend more time focused on you and less time typing notes. Your clinician always reviews and approves the notes before they become part of your medical record.

Patient privacy and confidentiality remain our highest priority, and the tool complies with New Zealand privacy and security requirements.

Remembering Jo🌼

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our much-loved colleague Nurse Jo, in early July.

Jo was a valued member of the Travis Medical Centre whanau whose kindness, compassion, and dedication touched the lives of many patients and colleagues over the years.

We know many of our patients will remember Jo fondly, and we thank everyone who has shared their kind words and support with our team during this difficult time.

As winter continues, remember to look after yourself and those around you. 

Keep warm, stay active, and don’t forget to book your flu vaccination if you haven’t already. 

Thank you for choosing Travis Medical Centre.