Cleaning time: Hawke's Bay GPs schedule 30 minutes between face-to-face appointments

Central Medical Practice manager Victoria Speers and nurse Kieran Nicholson show the new measure of temperature taking twice daily of staff and of everyone who enters the practice. Photo / Supplied

Virtual consultations, triaging patients and booking appointments 30 minutes apart so cleaning can take place are some of the changes Hawke's Bay general practices have faced under Covid-19.

Over the past six weeks the way GPs work has had to change dramatically.

At Carlyle Medical Centre appointments in the clinic are booked 30 minutes apart to allow for thorough cleaning of surfaces between patients.

Like all practices, Carlyle Medical Centre is taking precautions to ensure the safety of staff, patients and families.

Well and unwell patients are kept apart with well-health appointments for things like immunisations held first thing in the morning

Staff are also taking their temperature twice a day and wearing scrubs while working.

How patients see their doctor has also changed.

At Carlyle Medical Centre, nearly all consultations are happening via phone or video, acting practice manager Rowena Warren said.

"We are still here every day to help our patients, it's just the way we're working that has changed.

"We ask that our patients call us with any health concerns and we will give clear instructions on whether we will treat you via phone or video, or bring you into the clinic for a face-to-face consult," she said.

Hastings Health Centre and Central Medical Practice are two other practices that have adapted to virtual consultations.

Central Medical practice manager Victoria Speers said its team had coped well with the new technology, now doing more than half of their consultations virtually – something they had not done pre Covid-19.

Phone consultations are something they are likely to continue to use in the future.

"It means patients who don't have transport to get into a clinic can still receive medical advice and with e-prescriptions we can now email their prescription straight to the pharmacist."

Hastings Health Centre doctor and Health Hawke's Bay medical director Dr Louise Haywood said one of the most critical changes is the implementation of "gold-standard infection control practices".

"By consulting with patients online or by phone, we have dramatically lowered the number of people in surgery waiting rooms.

"That lowers the risk of illness spread and has the extra bonuses of lowering waiting times for patients and assisting those who have transport issues.

"People needing to see their doctor in-person can be very confident that all of our practices have systems in place that will keep them safe," she said.

While practices may have changed, Haywood urges people to not put off calling their doctor if unwell.

"There are reports coming in from around the country of people putting off calling their doctor and becoming seriously unwell as a result.

"Please do not do that; your general practice is ready, willing and able to give you the very best care.

"I'd argue that the way we are doing things now means the care is better than ever."