Where to go for healthcare over the festive season

18 December 2019

Where to go for healthcare in the MidCentral region over the festive season

While we hope all people in the MidCentral DHB region enjoy a healthy and safe festive season, we want to remind our communities about the available healthcare options over this time.

The following information provides an overview of where you can go for health advice and care over the summer break.

For any health concerns, except in an emergency, your first call should be to Healthline on 0800 611 116. Heathline is a 24/7, free and confidential phone service staffed by registered nurses. The Healthline team can provide advice on where you should seek treatment if you need it. This service is a phone triage.

You can also contact your General Practice Team to make an appointment. Many General Practice Teams are open on the days between Christmas, although some may be closed or have limited hours. The General Practice Teams that are closed or that have limited hours have signage at the practice, or a message on their phone system to advise you of after-hours care options.

The following after hours care options are operating throughout the region:

In Palmerston North, The Palms on Ferguson Street is operating an urgent care service on Christmas Day from 8am through until 8pm. The Unichem Pharmacy at The Palms will also be open, from 10am-12pm and 1pm-5pm. City Doctors on Victoria Avenue will be closed on Christmas Day, but their urgent care clinic will be open all other days from 8am through until 8pm.

In Horowhenua, you can access the after-hours clinic at the Horowhenua Community Practice, Liverpool Street, Levin. This will be open 9am until 1pm on Christmas Day, and 8am till 6pm on other public holidays.

In Foxton, Te Waiora Community Health will be closed on public holidays and weekends, but open from 8am till 5pm all other days.

Feilding Health Care will also be open all days except for Christmas Day, when they will have an on-call GP available via their phone triage service on 06 323 9696. All other days are business as usual, with the after-hours phone triage service available when the facility is physically closed.

Otaki Medical Centre will be open all days except public holidays and will have a walk-in clinic between 10am - 12noon on Saturdays.

Dannevirke’s Barraud Street Health Centre will be open all days except public holidays and have clinics between 10am – 12pm on Saturdays. A registered nurse is also available at Dannevirke Hospital during public holidays.

Pahiatua Medical Services will be open all days except public holidays and the registered nurse is available at Dannevirke Hospital during public holidays, as mentioned above.

If your condition is an emergency or urgent serious medical issue, you should go to the Emergency Department (ED) at Palmerston North Hospital on Ruahine Street. We appreciate your understanding that people who present will be seen on a most-serious-first basis. This means that if your illness/condition is not considered life threatening or serious, you may experience a longer wait time. In an emergency dial 111.

Many community agencies that provide mental health, disability, alcohol and addiction and respite care support will be closing on 20 December and reopening on 6 January. However, ACROSS Social Services at 297A Church Street in Palmerston North will be open until Christmas Eve, as will Manawatu Supporting Families at 160 Cuba Street in Palmerston North. MASH Trust at 180 Cuba Street, Palmerston North, will only be closed on public holidays.

St Dominics Centre in Feilding will be open across the holiday period, with crisis respite available 24/7. Referral for this is through the Acute Care Team, who can be contacted on 0800 653 357.

LUCK VENUE, a Palmerston North drop-in centre operated by the MASH Trust, will be open daily throughout the holiday break. Most days it will be open from 8.30am to 4pm, and on public holidays and weekends it will be open from 10am to 2pm. On Christmas Day, it will be open from 7am to 9am.

LUCK VENUE is based in Berryman’s Lane, which runs between Broadway Avenue and Main Street in the city centre, and is open to anyone. There will be free food available, a place to do laundry and have a shower, company and some basic essentials in supply.

In a mental health emergency, call 0800 653 357.

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