Your GP's surgery is far more than a place to go when you are feeling unwell and needing a quick cure. The doctor who sees you has gone through an extensive medical training to equip her or him to help children and adults of all ages with a range of physical and emotional difficulties. GPs are at the centre of the healthcare hub and will be aware of services and expertise that are available locally and further-a-field. GPs are also aware of the link that stress and unhappy life events have on physical health so know when to suggest a talking therapy rather than medication.

Dermoscopy Clinic:

• Dr Nalini Ramnarace and Luke Ma offer full skin checks and single spot checks- please phone to discuss. 

Each GP surgery or primary care practice will have its own procedure for repeat prescribing but the following rules are common to most, if not all. Patients who are well-known to the practice who have a stable condition like asthma, hypertension or diabetes could be allowed to get a repeat prescription for up to six months. Repeat prescriptions are never given to patients who are not known to the practice and there is probably a blanket ban on repeats for narcotics and other drugs that could be misused as doctors are expected to monitor these drugs carefully.

• Order repeat prescriptions via our patient portal.
• Most repeat prescriptions will be ready within 24-48 hours once approved by your Dr, at a cost of $30-$40
• Repeat prescription requests are at the doctor's discretion, please do not be offended if you are asked to attend a consultation, this is to ensure both your safety and ours. 

• Pregnancy vaccinations
• Childhood immunisation programme
• 45 year old vaccinations
• 65 year old vaccinations
• Adult flu vaccine
• Child flu vaccine
• Diphtheria / Tetanus / Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
• Measles / Mumps / Rubella (MMR) vaccine
• Meningococcal vaccine
• Shingles vaccine
• Travel vaccinations
• Catch-up missed vaccinations
• COVID-19 vaccination and boosters
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine
• Privately funded vaccinations

Immunisation is the safest and most effective way to provide protection for you and your tamariki’s health. For more information view the NZ immunisation schedule.

• We provide all travel vaccinations (except yellow fever). 
• COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters available aged 12+
• Flu vaccines available from April 1 2025. Standard and advanced vaccinations available.

All women and people with a cervix aged 25 – 69 who have ever had intimate skin-to-skin contact or been sexually active should have regular cervical screening. This includes women who have been immunised against HPV. Together, regular screening and HPV immunisation provide the best protection against cervical cancer.

There are now more options for how you have cervical screening done:

• a simple vaginal swab test for HPV, either done yourself or with help from a healthcare professional
• a cervical sample taken by a healthcare professional (used to be known as a smear test).

Talk with your healthcare provider to decide which option is best for you.

If HPV is found, you may need to have a follow-up test or be referred directly for colposcopy.

If you’ve not yet had HPV testing, you should be screened 3 years after your last test (or 1 year if immune deficient). Once you have had an HPV test, and providing HPV is not found, your next screening will be in 5 years (or 3 years if immune deficient).

For more information: Cervical screening | Time to Screen - National Screening Unit

If you have a normal history, you are able to book your screening with one of our nurses.
If you have ever had an abnormal result, or are experiencing pain or abnormal bleeding, please book with a doctor, who will be able to advise as to which type of screening you need.

• Menopause
• Contraception (birth control) advice
• STD checks (Sexually transmitted disease)
• Male sexual health
• Pregnancy testing

We have several doctors who are comfortable with initiating GAHT for patients over 18 years. Please be aware that they have a specific process that they must follow, so they may not be able to start your medication immediately.  We will do our best to work with you to meet your needs, or refer you to someone who is able to provide the services that you are seeking.

• Implant (Jadelle) inserts
• IUD inserts
• IUD removals
• Implant (Jadelle) removal

LARC methods are very effective at preventing unplanned pregnancy and are “fit and forget” forms of contraception – you don’t need to remember them every day or every month. LARC methods:

• Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (IUCD or IUD) are inserted through the cervix into a woman’s uterus. IUCDs may be either hormonal (Mirena^® or Jaydess^{® )} or non-hormonal (copper IUCD).
• Jadelle^® is a hormone-releasing implant that is inserted just under the skin of the upper arm.

Depending on the type of device, it will need to be changed after between three and ten years.

Read more about LARC methods here

• Tara Zhang can insert IUCDs & Dr Nalini Ramnarace can insert and remove contraceptive implants (Jadelle).
• You will require an initial consultation to discuss the procedure, benefits and risks and have swabs taken. Your fitting appointment will then be booked at a time agreed with the provider.
• Initial consultation - usual fees apply.
• Fitting visit (30min appointment) - theatre and service fees apply 

Another service offered to you at your GP surgery (primary care practice) is advice and immunisation before you go to another country. While you are likely to have the immunisations needed to live in New Zealand, there may be other injections you need to protect yourself before going for example to Africa or South America. In some places you will need protection from rabies or malaria. Yellow fever vaccinations are only available at approved centres; please click here to view the centres in New Zealand. Your doctor will be able to tell you what diseases you will need to be protected from in any named country and advise you on other medical matters. 

• We can provide all travel vaccines except Yellow Fever Vaccine.

Minor surgery is commonly provided in primary care practices, providing fast, competent removal and biopsies of skin lesions. Other services include cosmetic work such as removal of benign moles and skin tags. Ingrown toenail surgery is also commonly provided. 
These conditions do not need to be referred to a hospital, perhaps saving you a long wait or a cancelled appointment when a more serious case takes priority.

• Several of our staff provide minor surgical procedures including skin biopsies, excisions and wedge resections. 
• Costs vary depending on the complexity and number of lesions. 
• Book an appointment to discuss.

Liquid nitrogen is a fast, effective treatment provided in many practices to treat viral warts, sun damaged skin, skin tags and many benign cosmetic lesions. It comes in a container with a nozzle and is usually applied by swab or spray. Often one treatment is all that is needed but sometimes it may need repeating after two weeks.
Because it cannot be stored for too long, you will often find that your GP will treat a number of patients one after the other. 

For more information click here.

• At Freemans Bay Medical Centre we always have liquid nitrogen available.
• The first appointment must be with one of the Doctors - usual consult fee applies.
• If liquid nitrogen is done in addition to a normal consultation for other conditions, then there will be an extra charge of $45.00, in addition to the usual consultation fee.

An ECG is a recording of your heart's electrical activity. Electrode patches are attached to your skin to measure the electrical impulses given off by your heart. The result is a trace that can be read by a doctor. It can give information of previous heart attacks or problems with the heart rhythm.

• ECG cost $75.00 (exercise ECGs are done via specialist cardiologists)

A patient portal is a secure online tool provided by GP practices that can allow convenient access to your health information as well as interaction with the practice e.g. booking appointments and requesting repeat prescriptions.

• Our patient portal is called MyIndici and is accessible at https://patientportal.myindici.co.nz/login.
• Patients can order repeat prescriptions, book appointments, access test results, immunisation records and invoices/payments once registered.
  
  

Sometimes your doctor needs to take a sample of blood or urine either to discover what is wrong with you or to measure something in your blood so that the right medication is given to you. These tests could be anything from blood sugar to a full blood count or a sample of tissue to test for cancer.

While urine can generally be tested in the surgery, blood and other specimens are usually sent away for testing at a laboratory. Most results come back within 48 hours unless a very rare test is needed which has to go to a specialist lab further away when it might take a little longer.

• You will always be notified if any lab results are of concern to your Doctor, who will ask you to come in for an appointment to discuss these.
• Normal results will be uploaded to your patient portal, and some results may be discussed at your next routine visit, if your Doctor feels there is no urgency.

Primary care practices offer a range of services and are able to deal with most minor accident care. If they are not able to deal with an injury they will refer on to the appropriate service.

• For injuries where an x-ray is needed, we recommend attending White Cross Ascot, or another accident and medical service, as they have onsite x-ray and casting services.