Press Release: Introducing Shorecare’s new Clinical Governor
Shorecare are pleased to introduce their new Clinical Governor, Dr Robyn Theakston. Prior to accepting the role in
March, Theakston worked at Shorecare as an Urgent Care Practitioner for three years. Shorecare have been delivering
Urgent Care services to the North Shore for over 45 years, having been established in 1973. Owned by many of the local
GP’s, Shorecare delivers care in two locations, Smales Farm and Northcross, 7 days a week.
Theakston brings to the role a wealth of relevant experience both in urgent care and general practice settings. After
graduating from the University of Auckland in 1986, Theakston initially worked in the Bay of Plenty at Whakatane
Hospital. In a challenging start to her medical career, the 1987 Edgecumbe earthquake resulted in the closure of the
main hospital building. This meant that for the remainder of the year the small team of clinicians based there were
relocated to improvised facilities in an old outpatient building. It was here, at Whakatane, that she identified her
enthusiasm for Emergency Medicine.
After moving back to Auckland, Theakston initially worked for Urgent Medical Services (Midwest Care) and later in the
first 24 hour clinic run by Southern Cross located in Remuera. She went on to work in General Practice for 7 years and
at a combined GP/Urgent Care Clinic for 14 years. She became a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care in
2003.
Theakston is excited for the challenges her new role at Shorecare will bring and is pleased to be working for a clinic
that resonates with her “aspirations for providing quality Urgent Care that makes a difference”. She said that it was
clear to her from the beginning that the Shorecare team “took pride in their work and wanted to make the best outcome
happen for each and every patient and their family”. Primarily Theakston’s role is to continue building up Shorecare’s
team of Urgent Care Practitioners and visiting specialists as well as to liaise with GP’s and other Primary Care
organisations based on the North Shore.
She holds “a vision for a team approach with the complementary roles of Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse
Specialists, Receptionists, GP’s, Urgent Care Practitioners, Pharmacists, Physios and Specialists; all dovetailing to
provide safe, comprehensive patient-centered community based care”. In keeping with this vision, Shorecare are currently
developing a team of Nurse Practitioners and are soon going to be providing Point of Care Ultrasound as well.
ENDS