Don’t forget to enrol

June brings the start of a new dairy season and with it the movement of sharemilkers into and around their new region.  However, registering with a new GP is often overlooked when families move into a new area, says WellSouth Primary Health Network GP advisor Dr Keith Abbott.

He says registering is an important part of the move, so health services can be accessed quickly when they are needed.  It also means those needing health care will benefit from a subsidised consultation.

The process is simple: fill in an enrolment form with a local medical practice, and give consent for the new practice to source the individual’s health records from their old practice.  That way the notes will be there the next time a family member needs to make an appointment.

And if you aren’t registered with any medical practice, now’s a good time to enroll: doctor’s visits are subsidised for enrolled patients, so routine visits are cheaper and certain PHO programmes may even be free.

Doctor visits are free for children under six in Otago and Southland if they registered.

“Medical practices aren’t only there for when you’re unwell; regular checkups and screening are a positive way to monitor and manage health, particularly if you are in a stressful job, smoke or don’t follow a healthy lifestyle,” Abbott says.