An agreement between The Doctors and City Medical means they will operate overnight and weekend urgent care services from a single base at the Napier Health Centre.
But how the currently nurse-driven after-hours and weekend services at the Health Centre will look in future is yet to be decided.
Hawke’s Bay Today last month reported on a proposal document showing the future of such services were under the microscope because of low use rates, with the option of moving to a “virtual” service considered the preferred option.
It’s the latest healthcare concern in Napier since the loss of the city’s public hospital more than two decades ago.
Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora Hawke’s Bay Group director of operations David Warrington said it was committed to ensuring the Napier community could access sustainable urgent care services after hours and in the weekends.
“We have been in discussions with our partners, including Health Hawke’s Bay PHO, local healthcare providers and community leaders, on urgent care provision in the area,” he said.
“These discussions considered the merger of City Medical and The Doctors Napier urgent care services to enable sustainable after-hours and weekend urgent care services for the Napier community,” he said.
“Alongside the urgent care discussions, we have also undertaken a review of the Napier Health nurse-led overnight service.”
He said HNZ is working through a proposal with staff on how the nurse-led overnight service might be “delivered differently” in the future and exploring options with Health Hawke’s Bay on “how different models of care could be contracted”.
“Local after-hours services continue to operate as usual while this work continues, and we will inform the community of any changes once it is completed,” he said.
The Doctors and City Medical currently operate at separate sites a few hundred metres apart - The Doctors on Munroe St and City Medical at the Health Centre, Wellesley Rd. The Doctors has been using three consulting rooms at the Health Centre.
The change for The Doctors was confirmed in a media release after patients of The Doctors were advised on Monday.
The statement said City Medical (currently supported evenings and weekends by Central, Carlyle, Maraenui, Greendale, Tamatea and Taradale medical centres) and The Doctors Napier had agreed to combine their after-hours services and work from Napier Health from March 1.
It said by pooling resources across Napier’s general practices the services aim to create a “more robust and sustainable after-hours service”.
“Combining the two after-hours rosters allows better staffing ratios and more flexibility to respond to the demand for after-hours services in Napier.”
As a result, The Doctors Napier would be closed at weekends and on weeknights, and along with general practices would continue to run weekday services, with The Doctors Napier’s walk-in service available from 8am to 5.30pm.
It said Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora was committed to ensuring the Napier community could access sustainable healthcare services overnight.
“Health NZ is working with partners, including staff, Health Hawke’s Bay PHO, local health providers and community leaders, on how overnight care might be delivered differently in the future.
“This work includes a review of the Napier Health nurse-led overnight service and considers the change to operating hours beginning at 8pm instead of 9pm.
The Doctors Napier chairman Wayne Hudson said the board and shareholders wanted to continue offering a sustainable face-to-face urgent care option for Napier.
“This merger pools resources to ensure the sustainability of urgent care for the city,” he said.
“With the ownership of City Medical now shared across seven practices in Napier this also provides a strong singular voice to advocate for improved services.”
City Medical chairman Dr David Smith said combining services and resources in Napier was the best way to strengthen and stabilise the provision of urgent and after-hours care in Napier.
“I am grateful to all the staff at City Medical and all of the involved general practices for their support in making this happen,” he said.
“A more robust service from a single site is far preferable to shutting down as has happened to a number of urgent care centres around the country.”
The Doctors general manager David Mann said in the email to users: “These changes will maintain the availability of after-hours care in one convenient location.
“You have our commitment to continued high-quality, compassionate care from a team dedicated to your wellbeing.”
Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 51 years of journalism experience, 41 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.