Mission and Values

MEDICAL CARE

Our mission is to provide medical care to patients in the community in a way that they want and at a time when they need it.

THE WAY YOU WANT IT

'I went to see the dietician to learn how to eat healthily and after an hour of being told what I cannot eat, I began to wonder what I could actually eat. How can I live my life like this?'

'My doctor told me that I need to take all these tablets to control my diabetes, cholesterol level, and blood pressure. When I opened the pack at home, there were so many types of medicine that I could almost open my own pharmacy.'

Patients are often told by their doctors and other well-meaning people what they need to be healthy, using standards that were established for a population located half-way across the world and based on data which may have been collected decades ago. A lot of the advice given ignores the fact that we are all individuals with differing goals and values.

We pledge to listen to your medical problems and try to solve them in a way that accounts for your circumstances. We will treat you with respect according to the highest standards of our profession. We acknowledge that there will be times when we may not have the answers to every problem, but we will endeavour to provide a common-sense and reasonable approach to management.

WHEN YOU NEED IT

'My daughter caught a cold and we tried to see our family doctor. The next appointment slot was five days later.'

'The doctor is never on time for appointments, and when I am even a bit late, the clinic asks me to rebook.'

'I hardly see my own registered doctor, and the clinic doctor always changes.'

Patients register under a doctor and expect to see their doctor when they are sick. Many clinics register more patients than they can reasonably handle, so patients are handed over to whichever doctor is around as this allows the clinic to fill their appointment slots efficiently. Changing doctors each visit means that long-term problems are often not solved. Appointment times are kept short for business reasons, and it is easier to ‘kick the can down the road’ than deal with issues.

It is not possible to guarantee that all patients do not have to wait for appointments since even the best-managed schedule can be thrown off by a medical emergency or a difficult case. We expect that most patients will be able to see a doctor within 24 hours of booking, or the first working day after a weekend.

We pledge to give you enough time so that your problems can be dealt with properly. Your registered doctor will work with you to solve any long-term medical issues, although intercurrent illnesses may be seen by other doctors. You will not have to wait unnecessarily to see your doctor, and we will be transparent about waiting times.