Michelle Gordon with three of her four children Jessica, 14, Caitlyn, 8, and Caleb, 8, at their Naenae home. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Mother of four Michelle Gordon delayed taking her teenage daughter to the doctor for a fortnight as she was unsure how badly she needed help, and because it costs $25.
She now regrets the wait. Jessica, 14, had a chest infection and had been sick for three weeks before seeing
the doctor, who prescribed antibiotics.
"We delayed and delayed, thinking she was maybe getting better, then she went downhill and we really needed to go to the doctor," says Ms Gordon, whose income is the sole parent benefit.
Jessica is almost fully recovered, although she still has a cough. She was off school for nearly three weeks and her mother says the absence would almost certainly have been shorter had the medical care started sooner. It's a dilemma she faces all the time trying to juggle GP and prescription fees on a benefit.
When Jessica went to the doctor, 15-year-old brother Jordan had to go too. With a prescription for each, the GP and pharmacy charges cost their mother $60.
