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Waiwhetu Medical Centre

This practice has a large proportion of Maori patients, most from the local Waiwhetu area. As well as this original group of patients, the expansion of the practice has meant that it has become a significant community health centre for patients from Wainuiomata, Waiwhetu, Lower Hutt and more recently, Petone. Total patients now number more than 4000. The Medical Centre forms an integral part of the Waiwhetu Marae/Runanga community operations with the Meeting House, Kohanga Reo, Atiawa Toa FM radio station, Tamaiti Whangai centre of learning and Gymnasium in close proximity.

Introduction

At the front of house, Michelle Edwards and Susan Lehne are ably managing your enquiries in their roles as receptionists and administrators.
On the nursing front, Michelle Benson, Lisa Seagar and Dorothy Lockyer continue to provide a sharp and thorough service across a wide range of nursing roles.
 

Dr. Bernard Leuthart, whom many of you will have met as a GP registrar here last year, has recently' taken up a permanent position at the medical centre. Originally from Taranaki, Bernard is married with a young family.
Dr. Keck Chew remains a familiar face on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. We value Keck's dedication as a regular long term locum doctor with the practice.

We are fortunate again to have a General Practice Registrar with us through the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. Dr. Angela Suarez comes to us with wide ranging experience and ability. She is a fully qualified doctor who is making the move into general practice. We're delighted to have Angela with us and many of you will meet her in medical consultations.

Consulting Hours...

At Waiwhetu Medical Centre, consulting hours are 9.00 - 11.45 mornings and 2.00 -4.45 afternoons each weekday. Please be on time for your appointment. If you're delayed or can't arrive at the booked time, please phone ahead to the surgery and let our reception staff know. Similarly, please ask the receptionist if your doctor is running late. They will endeavour to let you know if an emergency has caused a delay.

When you begin your appointment with the doctor, please tell him/her what problem you would like to deal with that day in the 15 minutes you have together. Remember, 15 minutes usually only allows one problem to be dealt with effectively. If you are one of those busy people who save up a list because you can't get time off to see us very often, then it may be necessary for you to prioritize problems with the doctor and book another appointment to deal with problems other than your main concern for that day.
 

You can of course book a double appointment if you know that you will need more of the doctor's time to deal with a large issue or several problems.

We want to give time to listen to you, assess and examine you as necessary, and then make a record of the consultation and our plan. We want to be thorough and provide you with a professional medical service. Please assist us by giving these points some consideration.
Sometimes patients wish to have other family members seen during their appointment time. This creates delays and can be avoided by booking an appointment for each unwell patient. Of course, in any medical emergency, we will see anyone attending here needing urgent attention. Our nursing staff helps to coordinate and triage patients for urgent medical attention and urgent requests will be put through to them.