Appointments
Policy
Alert a clinician to triage patients with 
emergency signs or symptoms immediately, regardless of appointment availability. See also Triage.
Patients may book appointments by phone or through the patient portal.
We support and encourage patients who wish to:
- have a support person or chaperone
- use an interpreter or translation service if English is not their first language, or they are hearing impaired
- bring whānau to their appointment.
If there are no available appointments when a patient calls:
- Transfer the call immediately to a nurse for assessment if the patient has emergency signs or symptoms.
- Task a nurse to call the patient for assessment if the patient wants an appointment the same day.
- Book the next available day and time for all other appointments.
Patients with flu or other infectious disease symptoms should wait separately where possible. See Managing Infectious Patients.
Patients who have not had a consultation within the last three years are required to re-enrol.
Late arrivals, cancellations, and no-shows
Patients must give at least 2 hours' notice if they are unable to attend an appointment.
The first and second DNAs without a valid reason for non-attendance will be charged $19.50. Any subsequent DNAs will be charged at the full consult fee and referred to the practice manager.
As soon as it becomes apparent that a patient has missed their appointment, the receptionist phones the patient to check on their situation. If they do not have a valid reason for missing the appointment, annotate the appointment with "DNA" and offer another appointment time.
If patient does not attend more than twice over a 3-month period, they will be asked to pay in advance before thay can book their next appointment.
When charging for DNAs, first and second DNAs are charged at $19.50. Any further DNAs will be charged at the usual consultation fee.
Patients who arrive late may be asked to rebook if the clinician is unable to see them.
Casual patients
Patients who are not enrolled at the practice must complete a casual or visitor registration form. These patients must pay at the time of their appointment.
We send casual patients' notes to their regular clinician unless they request otherwise.
Home or off-site visits
All home visit requests are referred to the triage nurse. The nurse triages the patient to assess their situation and medical condition before arranging for the clinician to call the patient back or booking a visit from the clinician.
See also End-of-Life Care and Lone Workers.
Fees and costs
Patients receiving treatment or services beyond a standard consultation are informed about any costs that may apply.
Patients must pay at the time of the appointment. Clinicians do not have discretion to reduce consultation fees.
We make fee information available through:
- our information brochure
- our practice website
- signage in the waiting area.
If a patient is unable to pay:
- If possible, get part-payment, or a promise to pay. and explain to the patient that the practice does not run accounts
- provide the patient with a "pay in 7 days" slip, which outlines the pay-on-the-day policy, late payment fee policy, and debt collection arrangements.