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Kensington Health

General Practice (GP) Service

Today

8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Covid-19 testing

GP practice - enrolled patients only

This practice provides COVID-19 testing to enrolled patients who are booked for appointments, or need to be seen in-person on the same day.

If you have symptoms, but do not otherwise need to attend the GP, please refer to www.northlanddhb.org.nz for details of local community testing clinics.

Description

Kensington Health is centrally located in the Kensington Health Hub on the corner of Kamo Rd and Kensington Ave. With an on-site laboratory (blood collection) and neighbouring extended hours pharmacy, radiology (x-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI scans), physiotherapy and a number of specialists located within close proximity, Kensington Health is ideally placed to meet all of your healthcare needs. Ample carparking is available on-site.

Our team of doctors, nurses and health care assistants are committed to working alongside you to deliver the best care available.

Kensington Health is a Royal NZ College of GPs "Foundation" and “Cornerstone” accredited practice. This means that our patients can be assured that the systems and processes supporting the GPs are of the highest standard. We are also committed to supporting the RNZCGP and NorthTec in the training of GPs and nurses.

Our general practice offers these services:

  • Child and adult vaccination provisions
  • Family diagnostic and preventative medicine (including children, women and men’s health)
  • Injury and accident medical and surgical services
  • Insurance company medical services
  • Minor surgical procedures including lesion excision, nitrogen cryotherapy and diathermy
  • Screening medicine for cervical cytology, mammography, prostate cancer, hypertension, diabetes, asthma and coronary heart disease (including cholesterol/triglyceride problems)
  • Sporting medical services
  • Terminally ill patient medical care, in conjunction with community and hospice nursing care services
  • Well Health annual medicals for both men and women

Please note we do NOT undertake immigration medicals.

Doctors

How do I access this service?

Make an appointment, Enrolled patients

Enrolling new patients

No

This practice is not currently enrolling new patients.

Fees

Enrolled Patient Fees

Under 14 yearsFree
14-16 years$32.00 ($13.00 CSC/HUHC)
17-64 years$49.50 ($19.50 CSC/HUHC)
65+ years$45.00 ($19.50 CSC/HUHC)

If you hold a Community Services Card or High Use Health Card you may be eligible for reduced fees (shown by "CSC/HUHC" above) - please contact us if you are unsure.

Alternative charges apply to casual and non-enrolled patients, and for other services.

Hours

8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Mon – Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

If you require advice outside of our usual hours, please call us and you will be connected to our after-hours nurse service.

If you require a face-to-face after hours service, there are two walk-in options available:

  • Whitecross Whangārei, and is open 08:00am - 8:00pm daily (including weekends & public holidays);
  • Whangārei Hospital Emergency Department (for emergencies only).

Public Holidays: Closed ANZAC Day (25 Apr), King's Birthday (3 Jun), Matariki (28 Jun), Labour Day (28 Oct), Northland Anniversary (27 Jan), Waitangi Day (6 Feb), Good Friday (18 Apr), Easter Sunday (20 Apr), Easter Monday (21 Apr).

Preferred urgent care clinic out of hours: White Cross Whangārei - Urgent Care.

Languages Spoken

English, Māori

Services Provided

Immunisation

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.

  • Childhood immunisation programme
  • Pregnancy vaccinations
  • 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
  • Travel vaccinations
  • Shingles vaccine

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.

Minor Accident and Injury Care

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.

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.

Repeat Prescriptions

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.

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.

Adult and Child Medical Care

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.

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.

Minor Surgery

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. If your doctor is unable to provide the procedure you need, he/she may know a neighbouring GP who does. Otherwise, the PHO will have a list of GPs trained in particular operations.

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. 
If your doctor is unable to provide the procedure you need, he/she may know a neighbouring GP who does. Otherwise, the PHO will have a list of GPs trained in particular operations.

Lab Results

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.

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.

Liquid Nitrogen

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.

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.

Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC)

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

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

Cervical Screening

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

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

ECG

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.

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.

Travel Health Advice

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.

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. 

Patient Portal

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.

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.

Disability Assistance

Wheelchair access

Travel Directions

Located centrally in Whangārei at the Kensington Crossing, on the corner of Kensington Ave and Kamo Rd. Access to our practice is between the Tank juice bar and Kensington Postshop.

Multiple disability car parks are located just in front of the main doors for convenience. 

Contact Details

8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

8 Kensington Avenue
Kensington
Whangarei
Northland 0112

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Street Address

8 Kensington Avenue
Kensington
Whangārei
Northland 0112

This page was last updated at 12:01PM on January 15, 2024. This information is reviewed and edited by Kensington Health.