ENROLMENT AT THE GORE MEDICAL CENTRE

The Gore Medical Centre is not taking on new patients. You are welcome to complete and send an enrolment form to us. 

Benefits of Enrolling

Enrolling is free and voluntary. If you choose not to enrol you can still receive health services from a chosen GP/General Practice/provider of first level primary health care services. Advantages of enrolling are that your visits to the doctor will be at a subsidised fee and you will have direct access to a range of services linked to WellSouth, Primary Health Organisation.

Please ensure you read, sign and return the terms and conditions with your enrolment form.

Prior to accepting people for enrolment, the Gore Medical Centre (GMC) must assess:

  • A person’s eligibility to receive publicly-funded health services;
  • A person’s entitlement to enrol; and
  • That the person wishes to use GMC as their ongoing general practice provider.
Enrolment Form Terms and Conditions

Enrolling with general practice

General practice provides comprehensive primary, community-based, and continuing patient-centred health care to patients enrolled with them and others who consult.

General practice services include the diagnosis, management and treatment of health conditions, continuity of health care throughout the lifespan, health promotion, prevention, screening and referral to hospital and specialists.

The Gore Medical Centre, like most Southern district general practice providers, is affiliated to  WellSouth. The funding role of WellSouth allows an extended range of services to be provided across the collective of providers within WellSouth.

Enrolling with WellSouth (Primary Health Organisation)

WellSouth is the local structure for delivering and coordinating primary health care services. WellSouth brings together doctors, nurses and other health professionals (such as Maori health workers, health promoters, dietitians, pharmacists, physiotherapists, mental health workers and midwives) in the community to serve the needs of their enrolled populations.

WellSouth receives a set amount of funding from the government to ensure the provision of a range of health services, including visits to the doctor. Funding is based on the people enrolled with WellSouth and their characteristics (eg. age, gender and ethnicity). Funding also pays for services that help people stay healthy and services that reach out to groups in the community who are missing out on health services or who have poor health.

What happens if I go to another general practice?

You can go another general practice or change to a new general practice at any time.

If you are enrolled in WellSouth through one General Practice and visit another Practice as a casual patient you will pay a higher fee for that visit. If you have more than one General Practice you should consider enrolling with the Practice you visit most often.

What happens if I am enrolled in a general practice but don’t see them very often?

If you have not received services from your general practice in a three year period it is likely that the practice will contact you and ask if you wish to remain with the practice. If you are not able to be contacted or do not respond your name will be taken off the practice and WellSouth enrolment registers. You can re-enroll with the same general practice or another general practice as the affiliated WellSouth at a later time

How do I know if I am eligible for publicly funded health and disability services?

You can talk to the practice staff or call 0800 855 151, or visit Health and Disability Eligibility and work through the Guide to Eligibility Criteria.

Health information privacy statement

I understand the following:

Access to my health information:

I have the right to access (and have corrected) my health information under Rules 6 & 7 of the Health Information Privacy Code 1994.

Visiting another GP

If I visit another GP who is not at my regular practice, I will be asked for permission to share information from the visit with my regular doctor or practice. If I have a High User Health Card or Community Services Card and I visit another GP who is not at my regular practice, they can make a claim for a subsidy and the practice I am enrolled in will be informed of the date of my visit. The name of the practice I visited and reason for the visit will not be disclosed unless I give my consent.

Patient enrolment information

The information I have provided on the practice enrolment form will be:

  • Held by the practice;
  • Used by the Ministry of Health to give me a National Health Index (NHI) number, or to update any changes;
  • Sent to WellSouth and Ministry of Health to obtain subsidised funding on my behalf; and
  • Used to determine eligibility to receive publicly funded services.
  • Information can be compared with other government agencies but only when permitted under the Privacy Act.

Health information

Members of my health team may:

  • Add to my health record during any services provided to me and use that information to provide appropriate; and/or
  • Share relevant health information to other health professionals who are directly involved in my care.

Audit

In the case of financial audits, my health information may be reviewed by an auditor for checking a financial claim made by the practice, but only according to the terms and conditions of section 22G of the Health Act (or any subsequent applicable Act). I may be contacted by the auditor to check that services have been received. If the audit involves checking on health matters, an appropriately qualified health care practitioner will view the health records.

Health programmes

Health data relevant to a programme in which I am enrolled (eg breast screening, immunisation, diabetes) may be sent to WellSouth or the external health agency managing this programme.

Other uses of health information:

  • Health services planning and reporting.
  • Monitoring service quality.
  • Payment.

which will not include my name but may include my National Health Index Identifier (NHI and may be used by health agencies such as the District Health Board, Ministry of Health or WellSouth for the following purposes, as long as it is not used or publishes in a way that can identify me:

Research:

My health information may be used for health research, but only if this has been approved by an Ethics Committee and will not be used or published in a way that identifies me.

Except as listed above, I understand that details about my health status or the services I have received will remain confidential within the medical practice unless I give specific consent for this information to be communicated.