A LITTLE ABOUT OUR PRACTICE
OUR MISSION
TOGETHER WE WORK FOR THE BEST HEALTH FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR TEAM.
OUR VISION
CIVIC HEALTH WILL BE AN INNOVATIVE, TRUSTED, VALUED PARTNER IN OUR COMMUNITY PROVIDING QUALITY AND COMPASSIONATE HEALTHCARE.
OUR VALUES
RESPECT – High regard for the opinions and diversity of others. Patients, Families and Team Members are treated with courtesy and dignity at all times.
INTEGRITY – Show Openness, Honesty, Accountability and Confidentiality. Work within an ethical framework at all times through a policy of openness and transparency.
TEAMWORK – Work together, support and value each other for the benefit of our patients. Collaborate with, Community Agencies and Healthcare Professionals for the benefit of our patients. Work with our Patients and their families for their best care.
QUALITY – We strive for excellence through continuous improvement.
COMPASSIONATE CARE – Caring by listening and working together on what matters for patients, families and our team members.
Civic Family Health Care was known originally as Scott Street Health (and even before that as Bryce, Buckman, Gellatly and Leonard) and started as a one-man practice by Dr Peter Jenkins, GP/anaesthetist, in the late 1970s.
Drs David and Maree Leonard joined the practice in 1979. The receptionist, Dawn Mitchell, was the only other staff member. David created a thriving maternity practice, and Maree also gave anaesthetics. The practice had only 2 consult rooms on the groundfloor of Dr Jenkin’s house. Maree and David also set up the Blenheim Family Planning Clinic in 1980s in an outbuilding in Holmdale, the old maternity hospital on the site that is now Bethsaida Rest Home.
Dr Ros Gellatly joined in 1984 and began working at FPA, so David relinquished his honorary “female Dr” status!
The practice expanded it’s premises to include a first floor waiting area, 4 consult rooms, a minor surgery/nurse’s room and clean/dirty area. One waiting room was kept downstairs for patients with access difficulties.
Dr Ian Bryce joined the practice in along with Dr Alastair Buckman in mid 1980s. Both GPs did obstetrics as well as family medicine.
In 1988 Ros joined Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care, set up to provide better care for anyone affected by sexual abuse/assault.
In 1990 Sexual Health Clinics were established throughout NZ to improve access to care outside the main centres. Ian and Ros did a half day each with the new service.
Dr Rhondda Turner amalgamated her solo practice with the group in 2002. Dr Kate Rees also joined part-time.
Rhondda, Ian and Ros have supported the provision of abortion services, having taken over from Maree and David as part of ongoing Women’s Health Care commitment.
In 2000, the practice decided to relocate for more space and moved to Scott Street, with a name change. By now the practice was growing to include a team of nurses and administrative support. The team worked hard to become Cornerstone accredited, a qualification that had been developed by the RNZCGP to get stronger processes in general practice.
Ian started teaching GP registrars, in order to grow our own and keep interest in learning. Ian then passed the teaching baton to Dr Georgina Walton, one of our former trainees.
Ros worked part-time with the Ministry of Health from 2007-2014. She gave up FPA. Dr Emily Marfell then joined the team to ease the burden on the practice.
David made the decision to retire, and Dr Kim Baker did a locum for a year, helping get notes updated on computer. Then Dr Nadim Khan joined, taking over David’s practice. A highlight was Nadim and Rita’s wedding with all women in the team wearing saris.
The GPs gave up obstetric practice with changes to the maternity programme. Al took on sports medicine. Nadim and Ros did some acupuncture for some years.
2018 was sad and stressful with Al’s cancer diagnosis, resulting in his retirement from practice.
It was difficult to manage the patient load and keep going. We had begun to look at improved models of general practice. This had to be set aside till 2018 when the practice decided to move again to expand and allow all team members to contribute to their full capabilities. Drs Vicky Samuels and Mandy Chadwick took over Al’s practice. Vicky has a strong interest in elderly health and palliative care. Mandy’s other skills lie in surgery and colonoscopy. Ros is developing her hypnotherapy.
The practice nursing team has grown over the years taking on more and diverse work; wound care, cervical screening, immunisations, preparation for travel, diabetes reviews and insulin initiation, spirometry, ECGs, IV treatments and mental health support as well as telephone triage, prescription requests, health advice and recalls. They have led further Cornerstone accreditations.
Now, there are seven nurses working part-time across the week; Debbie (lead nurse), Adrienne, Kate, Cathy, Anne, Mary, Nurse practitioner and Diane Williams have supported the practice in this new role. Now Sally is working towards that qualification.
Another new role in the practice is Health Care Assistant, with diverse activities from computer support to report preparation. Lynelle is the first.
Administration and reception have also come a long way since our earliest days. Now we have a general business manager, Andrea Cunniffe, leading us into our new home and practice development.
Administration lead is Carolyn. The team includes Camille, Kim, Julie, Sian, Debbie and Kelly.
We are developing closer working practice with pharmacists to improve our medications management especially for those with multiple prescriptions and multiple health conditions.
Our vision is for our patients and staff to be healthy, living the best life we each can. We do that as part of the health system and our community.