STAR treatment for South Auckland patients
WEDNESDAY 20 AUGUST 2014
People with diabetes, gout, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiovascular disease will soon be getting STAR
treatment in Otara.
Health Minister Tony Ryall is today opening the first Specialist, Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre (STAR Care
Centre).
The STAR Care Centre is in Otara Mall, on the top floor of the Otara Integrated Family Health Centre which also houses
two GP clinics, a pharmacy and a gym.
STAR Care professionals so far include health psychologists and a psychiatrist. There are plans to have dieticians,
podiatrists, nurses and GPs with special interests and skills with generalised supervision from consultant specialists
at the facility.
STAR Care services are for patients enrolled with Total Healthcare PHO through East Tamaki Healthcare GP clinics in
Counties Manukau.
"We envisage STAR Care to be a health innovation that will enable patients with long term conditions to see multiple
health care providers in one place and at one time," East Tamaki Healthcare and Nirvana Health Group Director Ranjna
Patel says.
"The idea is to make it more convenient for patients with fewer visits and less time off work. It will eventually lead
to improved health literacy and self management knowledge and skills," Mrs Patel says.
"This could also be a way for us to support the health system with fewer unplanned visits to the hospital, and wasted
missed appointments at Manukau Super Clinic," she says.
STAR Care services will include spirometry for patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) and other
diagnostics. It will also offer self-management education, cooking classes and dietician services, cardiac and pulmonary
rehabilitation, and gout and diabetes clinics.
Patients will be referred to STAR Care by their family doctor based on their healthcare needs as identified through
various risk stratification tools that are being developed.
STAR Care services will be funded by Total Healthcare PHO.
The service aligns with the Better, Sooner, More Convenient strategy for primary and integrated care and is one of the
projects under the newly formed Nirvana Health Group.
About Nirvana Health Group
The Nirvana Health Group provides management support, administration and operational support to East Tamaki Healthcare,
West Auckland Healthcare, Mt Roskill Healthcare and White Cross clinics in Auckland.
The group offers a diverse range of services within the scope of primary care, including immunisations, doctor and nurse
consultations, ACC, maternity, community and clinic based mental health team services and minor surgery.
Nirvana Health Group clinics are the sole providers of primary care services to Total Healthcare PHO.
ENDS