GP practice - enrolled and casual patients
This practice provides Covid-19 testing to enrolled and casual patients. Please call the practice for more information.
www.healthpoint.co.nz
Torbay Community Doctors
987 Beach Road, Torbay, Auckland
Contact Details
Phone (09) 473 9594
Mobile 02102236775
Email tcd987@outlook.com
Healthlink EDI: pahunter
The surgery is open for consultations. The surgery has been reconfigured to separate different areas of care and to better protect our staff and patients.
Video or Phone Consultations can be booked through the portal or via reception.
We need to know if you or anyone in your group have symptoms of cough, fever, runny nose, shortness of breath at the time of booking. If you are attending the surgery then phone the reception to let them know you have arrived in the carpark. Remain in your car until you are directed to appropriate areas of care.
Appointment booking is available through our patient portal or through reception. Please sign up to use this service through reception.
Access to the Portal is at Dr Hunter - portal at Manage My Health
Video Consultations are by appointment only.
Enter the Virtual Waiting Room - Click Virtual Waiting (https://doxy.me/drphunter) - enter and wait just prior to your appointment time
Phone Consultation- The Doctor will call you at your appointment time.
We prefer contactless electronic forms of payment.
Text phone (Txt only) 021 223 6775
Nurse email tcdnurse@outlook.com
Admin email tcdfax@outlook.com
Street Address
987 Beach Road
Torbay
Auckland 0630
Postal Address
PO Box 89025
Torbay
Auckland 0742
Covid-19 testing
Description
We are a family centred surgery where you only see your own GP and where everyone knows your name. We offer a full range of general practice services to you and your family.
Consultations are by appointment. Our standard consultation time is 15 minutes - this will vary to give you the time you need.
We will be available on every Wednesday morning but will no longer be available on Fridays.
Te Whatu Ora have announced pharmacies can now vaccinate children. We believe this is a retrograde step for our children as these visits allow valuable contact with our nurse and doctor and help sustain the practice financially. We are no longer able to care for children who are looked after by other Clinical and Non-clinical (pharmacy) staff. This will allow them to take appropriate responsibility for treatments they provide.
We are upgrading our computer system from the end of February and early March. There may be reduced consultations and delays duing the change over days as we train and imbed then ew system. We ask for your patience as this will be stressful for all concerned.
We have changed our patient portal provider from ConnectMed to Manage My Health. Existing registered patients will be provided with new logon information and we will invite other patients to join this extremely useful system for accessing your health information. We encourage all of our patients to use this valuable service. It is Free!
Its time for FLUVAX - available from April 2024. Shringrix for 65 yr olds. We will offer Pneumovax vaccines to people with chronic respiratory diseases. This vaccine is free only in a very limited number of circumstances.
For our younger people HPV vaccine reduces the risk of serious consequences of human papilloma virus infection. This is free under 26yrs and should be completed if this has not already been done.
Contact our nurses for help with all immunisation questions.
Our Fees - Rationale
We welcome all of our patients and will continue to charge our usual fees and provide our usual services. We currently still charge a fee for children 6-14yrs .
From December 1 2018 the Government has announced that some practices will charge Community Card Holders $18.50 for a consultation and that children under 14yrs will be free (this does not change funding for non-Community Card holders). The subsidies that they provide for these services match about 2/3 of the amount we need to cover our expenses. As such we have not accepted this subsidy as we believe it will short change the care of Community Card Holders, make GP practices less viable, cause costs to be passed onto non-Community Card holders and probably increase hospital admissions. It is likely that if you attend another practice that any additional services you get over a simple consultation will be charged as extra to try to recover some of these losses at those practices.
We regret that if you are a Community Card Holder that you might have to accept an apparently cheaper service from another provider as we believe that the doctor/patient relationship is the core of General Practice.
Prescriptions
Dr Hunter will recommend the most appropriate medicines to treat your conditions. If you have a question about your medication please consult with Dr Hunter who will be happy to discuss this based on scientific knowledge and 35yrs experience.
COVID
Omicron is a mild viral illness well tolerated by the vast majority of patients by age and disease status. Vaccination of elderly and at risk groups is advised. Antiviral agents such as Paxlovid may be appropriate for high risk groups and can be arranged at the time of diagnosis through the practice.
Email and Cell Phone Contact
We rely on these contact methods for speed and efficiency. Please make sure that these details are up to date with our receptionist.
Our Text Phone (Not for urgent contact): 021 223 6775 this is monitored through the day and provides a convenient method of contact. We can email you with results and forms as needed. Please check your cellphone and email contact details (as well as usual address) are up to date at each visit.
Our Nurse email:
Staff
Dr Paul Hunter
Our team is made up of one GP, Dr Paul Hunter, so you will always see the same person. Paul has been a GP in Torbay for 38 years. He offers a friendly personal approach to his patients.
He is interested in skin diagnosis and treatment - using a dermasope for diagnosis and cryo-gun for liquid nitrogen therapy. He has many years' experience in removal of skin lesions.
Many of our patients are older so he is experienced with multiple and complex problems of elderly patients - Paul also offers a clinic at a local retirement village.
Our younger patients are on the increase and so we also have an interest in children's health.
We are able to offer care and diagnosis for problems that specifically relate to men and women.
Paul has an interest in issues relating to counselling and mental health.
Nursing Staff
Angela is our nurse. She can assist with all your nursing needs in a friendly and helpful manner. She is very experienced also and can educate, vaccinate and perform smear testing.
Receptionists
Jo is our receptionist. She will get to know you and your family as she arranges appointments and performs the complex tasks of practice administration. Carol shares reception duties with Jo later in the week.
Doctors
-
Dr Paul Hunter
General Practitioner - Vocationally Registered
Enrolling new patients
Yes
This practice is enrolling new patients.
Fees
Enrolled Patient Usual Fees
| Age | Usual Fee | Maximum Fee |
| Under 6yrs | Free | Free |
|
6 -12 yrs |
$35 |
$40 |
|
13 - 17 yrs |
$40 |
$50 |
| 18 - 24 yrs | $42 | $60 |
| 25 - 44 yrs | $55 | $68 |
| 45 - 64 yrs | $60 | $68 |
| 65+ yrs | $60 CSC $52 discretionary |
$68 |
Our fee structure varies. Maximum DHB controlled fees for usual service are shown in brackets. Extra fees may apply for use of specialised materials, equipment or time. We try to keep this to a minimum.
Prescriptions ($27) - these are best arranged at least one day prior - extra fees may apply to same day, faxed or urgent prescriptions or applications for special authorities.
One of our nurses can perform smear tests for $40. Fees apply for nursing services.
Skin lesion excision from $300.
ACC surcharge is $25-40 with a reduced fee for repeat ACC dressings.
We offer a wide range of vaccines for travel and seasonal flu vaccines (free to many patients).
We are now able to make your claims at the end of your consultation for Southern Cross Members through their Easy-Claim system streamlining availability of your insurance benefits.
Hours
| Mon | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Tue | 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Wed | 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM |
| Thu | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
We are trialling being available every Wednesday morning and not having surgery on Fridays. There are now more appointments available on Thursday on these weeks and these can be booked here on the portal.
We have reduced our hours to 5pm closing for the next month due to our different working methods at present. We will adapt this as needed.
The practice is closed for lunch from 1pm-2pm daily, and until 2.30pm on Tuesdays.
After hours contact:
ShoreCare Clinics: Sovereign Building, Smale's Farm, 74 Taharoto Rd, Takapuna. Open 24hrs.
948 East Coast Rd, Northcross. Until 8pm each evening. Currently A Community Based Assessment Centre for COVID 19 (by arranged appointment only)
Ph (09) 486 7777 - no advice is given over the phone.
In case of emergency Dial 111 and ask for ambulance.
North Shore Hospital Emergency Clinic is open 24hrs. Shakespeare Rd, Milford.
Public Holidays: Closed ANZAC Day (25 Apr), King's Birthday (3 Jun), Matariki (28 Jun), Labour Day (28 Oct), Auckland 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: Shorecare Urgent Care Northcross.
Covid testing hours - for GP practices, if hours differ to standard hours
| Mon – Tue | 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Wed | 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Thu | 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM |
Please remain in your car in rear carpark or on Willis St. Ring reception and await guidance. Please wear a mask. Use hand sanitiser as you enter REAR steps. You will be directed to our Respiratory Surgery. You will leave via this entrance. There is no fee for COVID testing. Any other fees will need to be paid on-line as you will not return through our reception.
Public Holidays: Closed ANZAC Day (25 Apr), King's Birthday (3 Jun), Matariki (28 Jun), Labour Day (28 Oct), Auckland Anniversary (27 Jan), Waitangi Day (6 Feb), Good Friday (18 Apr), Easter Sunday (20 Apr), Easter Monday (21 Apr).
Languages Spoken
English
Services Provided
Disability Assistance
Wheelchair access
Online Booking URL
https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/gps-accident-urgent-medical-care/gp/torbay-community-doctors/