The clinical director of Middlemore Hospital's emergency department is encouraging South Aucklanders to use the free GP clinics across Easter, but warned that fees won't waived for everything.
Dr Vanessa Thornton told Breakfast staff in her ED had been “overwhelmed” by an influx of patients, including 187 patients on one night earlier this week, compared to between 95 to 120 on a normal night.
Thornton said the 16 clinics that will see patients for free to help ease the pressure on the emergency department was part of a pilot programme.
“We’re encouraging people to use that and reducing barriers to attending that,” she said.
“The kinds of things we’re wanting people to attend there for are ACC, so injuries, minor injuries and minor illnesses, things that urgent-care doctors are trained to see.”
Fees will be waived for people who visit one of the 16 clinics with those types of illnesses and injuries, Thornton said.
“It’s not a waiver for everything but most people will attend for injuries, injuries that occur in the course of Easter and when people are out and about doing more things, and also for minor illnesses,” she said.
Earlier this week, Thornton had said the influx of people to the ED who could be treated at a clinic was having an effect on patients who really needed hospital treatment.
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