"Hurt your ankle? Think you might need an X-ray? Make your GP your first port of call,” says Dr Hans Snoek, a Lower Hutt based general practitioner for thirty years.
Dr Snoek says winter generally brings more illness like coughs, colds and flu our way, and a high number of sports injuries and other mishaps.
“Many people don’t realise that GPs offer urgent care for things like suspected broken bones,” says Dr Snoek.
“We are happy to assess injuries and see if you require an X-ray. We can organise forms for ACC and quickly send you to a local provider of low cost X-rays. The whole process normally takes far less time than if the patient had presented at a hospital emergency department with a minor injury.”
Dr Snoek says the same applies with acute illness although people should always ring 111 or go to the hospital if there is a serious medical emergency.
He says GPs are happy to offer advice if you are not sure how urgent a problem is, or are unsure if you need an appointment. Callers can ask to be put through to a nurse who will discuss your concerns with you and consult with your GP if needed.
The benefits of going to your GP are more than just time-saving, Dr Snoek explains. “Your GP practice has your medical records with information about any medications you take and which allergies you might have. No matter
which doctor you see at your practice, they can immediately access this information.”
Getting a same day appointment with your GP is possible, including outside of usual office hours.
“Most practices in the Hutt Valley including ourselves strive to have appointments available for people who need to be seen on the day that they contact us,” says Dr Snoek. “Opening hours vary with individual practices in the Hutt, and several now have appointments available well past 5.30pm. For practices like ours that close in the evenings, people can still be seen by an after-hours service.”
