
Kia ora,
Merry Christmas, (Meri Kirihimete) to all our Customers & Whānau.
The Hastings and Havelock North Health Centres would like to wish you all a happy, healthy and safe holiday season. We are grateful for your continued support throughout the year and look forward to serving you in 2026.
We also know that this time of year can be very stressful for people. If you are struggling, there is always support available here should you need it. Do not be scared to reach out.
Medications and Repeat Prescriptions Over the Holiday Period
The Holiday season is a busy time for Pharmacies, GPs and Couriers, so this is a gentle reminder to ensure a stress-free holiday season, please plan ahead. Check your medication supply now to ensure you have enough to last the two-week holiday period from December 22nd to January 5th. If you think you are going to require a repeat prescription around this time, please request your repeats before the 22nd of December, to ensure you get your repeat prescription before Christmas. Remember repeat prescriptions are subject to a fee.
General Practice Holiday Hours:
Havelock North Health Centre:
- Closed for public holidays.
- Limited service with ‘On the Day’ bookings only.
- Dr McKendry will be available between 22 – 24 December and from January 6th
- Dr Collings will be available between 22 – 24 December and from January 5th
- Dr Stride will be available all the way through (not including public holidays).
- For all urgent care, the Hastings Health Centre Urgent Care facility will be open every day.
Hastings Health Centre:
- General Practice will be closed for public holidays and will offer limited services with ‘On the Day’ bookings over the holiday period. There will be limited booking via Manage My Health. A reminder of suite phone numbers:
Mairangi is 06 873 8551
Ngahere is 06 873 8553
Waimoana is 06 873 8554
HHC Urgent Care 06 873 8555
Havelock North is 06 877 8011
Hastings Health Centre Urgent Care:
- Urgent Care will remain open every day, including public holidays, from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. You will be triaged and seen based on the severity of your condition.
- Pharmacy will remain open every day including public holidays from 8am – 8pm.
- Radiology is open every day except Christmas Day and will be operating on reduced hours.
· Awanui Labs based at HHC will be closed over the holiday period. Last day open is Friday 19 December, reopens Monday 5th January.
· For medical advice after hours, you can also call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free 24/7 guidance.
Changes to General Practice
12-Month Scripts:
From early 2026, the maximum prescription duration is changing from 3 to 12 months. GPs and Nurse Practitioners will be able to issue some patients with a prescription for 12 months, if it is clinically safe to do so, and if you meet the eligibility criteria.
· your condition and medication have been stable for a minimum of 6 months
· your condition or medication don’t need regular monitoring
· the medicine is approved for 12month scripts (controlled drugs are still at a maximum of 1 month, and oral contraceptives at 6 months)
· you participate in an annual in-person review of your medication (this does not include Urgent Care consultations).
Only a few stable medications will be suitable for 12 month prescriptions. At Hastings Health Centre your health and safety will be at the centre of any decision made about this, and decisions will be at your clinician’s discretion.
More information will follow in the New Year
Ngahere Clinical Triage:
The Ngahere suite have moved to a morning clinical triage system, which is available for all Ngahere patients phoning in, wanting to make an urgent on the day appointment. All Ngahere patients that phone in will be phoned back by a GP or Nurse the same morning. This is to ensure those patients that require a same day appointment are prioritised. All Ngahere GP’s have reserved slots every day to see their patients needing urgent on the day appointments. These appointments can not be booked on MMH, so please phone in the morning to Ngahere reception if you require an on the day urgent appointment.
Pack the Bus:
Hastings Health Centre are excited to be a collection point for Pack the Bus this year. See below for details of how you can support women and their families through the Women’s Refuge. We will be collecting gifts up until 12th December.
General Information and reminders:
GP and Nurse Appointments
GP and nurse appointments are typically 15 minutes, which is sufficient to address one medical issue. If you wish to discuss multiple concerns, please inform the receptionist so a double appointment slot can be booked (additional fees may apply). We recommend booking your appointments in advance to avoid disappointment. If you need to cancel your appointment, please notify us as soon as possible via reception or through Manage My Health. Failure to cancel appointments in a timely manner may result in a missed appointment fee.
Booking via phone or Manage My Health (MMH) Portal
MMH is our patient portal. Please ask your reception for more information if you haven’t already signed up. It is a quick and easy way of booking with your GP for non-urgent bookings or for scripts. Urgent bookings can be made via phones. Note that the phones are very busy between 8am – 11am. If your booking is not urgent, please phone in after 11am.
Payment for Consultations
We kindly ask for prompt payment for consultations, ideally on the day. You can pay at the counter or online. If paying online, please ensure you include your full name, invoice number, NHI and chart number for reference. If you are having difficulty paying your bill in full, please ask about payment options at reception—we can arrange automatic payments for you.
AI technology at Hastings Health Centre
Most of our GPs use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in summarising consultations. The AI, ‘Heidi’ is being used as a scribing tool; it is not a diagnostic tool. If you prefer not to have AI used during your consultation, let your GP know at the start of your visit. If you want to know about Heidi and how it is used, please go to our website for further information.
Vaccinations / Immunisations
A timely reminder to check your vaccination status for flu (every yr), and Covid (every 6 months).
Ensure you family members immunisation records are all up to date before they head back to school, and day care in the new year. With the recent outbreak of Measles, it is important that everyone knows their MMR immunisation status. MMR vaccines are currently funded for all people who are eligible for funded healthcare in NZ.
If you have children heading off to boarding school or university, students living in dorms have a higher risk for Meningococcal disease. The vaccine is recommended before starting school.
Thank you once again for choosing us for your healthcare needs. We wish you a happy holiday season and look forward to seeing you all in the new year!
Ngā mihi
Patient Support Services
Hastings Health Centre.




