Health centre opened

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33155, 20 February 1973, Page 14

Health centre opened

“The clay of the doctor practising in his living-room is largely gone,” said Dr E. i Turner, who opened the first Christchurch health centre .yesterday with three fellow doctors, a social worker and two nurses.

Designed to provide a more complete medical service, the centre is situated at 163 Colombo Street in a building with ah emphasis on space and pleasant surroundings. “This is the next stage along from medical centres.” said Dr Turner. “We intend to provide all aspects of health care and use ancillary staff in the care of patients.”

The social worker would deal with socially-oriented medical problems, such as bed-wetting or the sicknesses of the elderly, and the two nurses would help with routine care which did not require a professional. Dr Turner said the centre was the first privately-run venture of its kind in New, Zealand. The staff were still] "finding their way” and the' project was only at the primary stage of development.

Plans for the future included adding a dispensary and a physiotherapist; but if Government help was available, the progress of the centre could be advanced much quicker. The ideal development was a combination of various welfare services, such as Plun-i ket Society, district nursing and meals on wheels. The doctor could then decide which of the subsidiary services was needed for specific cases, and the centre could care for patients from birth. Dr Turner and his colleagues. Drs S, Carson, J.

Walshe. and A. Hunter were the first to set up a four-man practice in Christchurch I seven years ago, but he did! not expect a large number! of doctors to follow immedi-| ately the health centre idea! because of the high costs.

“The individual doctor might have to take a drop in salary to pay the wages of! staff and administration,” Dr I Turner said. “We think most! doctors will wait and see! how we go.”