37802 (2024). Hon Dr Duncan Webb to the Minister of Health

37802 (2024). Hon Dr Duncan Webb to the Minister of Health: Will the people of North Canterbury get an after hours medical service in 2024, 2025, 2026, or at all; if so will it be a 24 hour, seven day a week service?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that a range of urgent medical services are already available to the people of North Canterbury outside normal business hours. These services include: - Healthline (call 0800 611 116), which has experienced health professionals available 24/7 to provide health advice, including how to self-care and when and where to go for further care if required. - Local practices Amberley Medical and Durham Health are open Saturday mornings. - All practices in North Canterbury offer their enrolled patients an after-hours telehealth service, Practice Plus, available weekdays until 10pm and weekends 8am - 8pm. - St John and Health New Zealand offer a visiting Paramedic Assessment Service in the Waimakariri area, available 7 days until 11pm. - The Pegasus 24 Hour Surgery, 30 minutes by road from Rangiora, continues to be available to North Canterbury people. For people needing to be seen urgently and without access to transport a Health NZ-funded taxi service is available on referral from Healthline or the Paramedic Assessment Service. In addition, I am further advised that a primary care provider, South Link Health (SLH), plan to build and run a new health centre at Health New Zealand’s Rangiora Health Hub. This centre will offer a variety of services for North Canterbury people including 7-day extended-hours urgent care. SLH have advised Health NZ that it has got all necessary consents for the facility and construction will be underway soon.