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Working with your GP
Finding a GP - Holistic GP’s - WINZ applications
There are many good General Practitioners in Christchurch if you need to find a GP.
If you are no longer a young person, then it definitely makes sense to at least register with a GP (if you haven’t already) and have regular checks for blood pressure, blood cholesterol, bone density, etc.
If you have recently moved to Christchurch, and are looking for a doctor, try:
If you are a person in relatively good health who is actively engaged in their own wellbeing and proactive in their own health-care, perhaps seeking to minimize pharmaceutical medicine (or at least avoid it for as long as possible) then you might prefer to work with a more holistic doctor or health care practitioner. The important thing is to be happy with your doctor and be able to communicate easily with them, and feel satisfied that they are listening to you, and your needs.
All GP’s are trained thoroughly in modern western pharmaceutical medicine — yet some GP’s have in addition other interests and have trained in other disciplines (e.g. nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, etc). I’m still finding out (from my patients) who all these GP’s are in the South Island, and I’m sure that there are many excellent open-minded GP’s out there.
Although this list is by no means exclusive (please send me more names and information if you have it) for more ‘holistic’ doctors, you might like to try:
- Wendy Rose Isbell
- Helios Integrative Medical Center (now Beckford Health)
No change of prescribed medication should ever be made, without first consulting your GP.
It also makes sense to tell your GP about any other ‘holistic’ practitioners you might also be seeing (e.g. herbalists, naturopaths, acupuncturists, osteopaths, etc) and any ‘natural’ remedies that you might be taking. There can be herb-drug interactions between herbs and any prescribed medication, so both your GP (and herbalist, if you have one) should know everything that you are taking (or planning to take).
You can request that your medical center post or fax copies of all your medical notes (X-ray reports, MRIs, blood test results, etc) to your holistic practitioner.
This is in your own best interests, and all medical centers will comply with this request, but it must come from you. This will help your Health practitioner make a thorough, complete, accurate and up to date case-history, and know the medications you are currently taking.
WINZ funding for complementary therapies may be available to those on a low income. Talk to your GP. Your GP will have to sign the forms.
If you are on a low income (or have a disability) then it is possible to apply for WINZ funding, to reimburse complementary treatment (e.g. homeopathy, osteopathy, etc). The best person to talk to about this is again your GP. They will have to sign the forms — and will know from your medical history the reasons why you need a ‘complementary’ course of treatment (in addition to your prescribed medication).
Anecdotal stories from my own patients about this suggest that some GP’s are more positive and helpful than others in recommending more complementary/holistic therapies. You can always consider changing your GP if you’re not happy with them.
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