Fiona Thomas fthomas@nzdoctor.co.nz
A planned west Auckland medical centre seeks to bring Tongan values to a new part of the city.
Kelston Mall Medical Centre is due to open in April, owned and run by the Tongan Health Society.
The society already has two clinics across Auckland, one in Panmure and one in Onehunga, and chief executive, medical diÂrector and GP Glenn Doherty says the new clinic increases the society’s footprint in Auckland.
Dr Doherty says the space in Kelston Mall became availÂable last year, and the location is close to several organisations the Tongan Health Society alÂready works with, including loÂcal schools, a Tongan early childÂhood centre and two Tongan churches.
A number of clients are curÂrently travelling from west Auckland to the society’s other health centres across town.
An integrated family health centre, the new site will house allied health professionals, inÂcluding physiotherapy, midwifeÂry, chiropractors and laboratory services as well as establishing a working relationship with Kelston Pharmacy.
The medical centre will proÂvide a sublease to its dental partÂner, MaliMali Dental, which will be co-located, and Dr Doherty says radiology services are also on the cards.
While Tongan values will unÂderpin the practice’s model of care, he says all of the society’s services are available to anyone.
Dr Doherty says the Tongan Health Society’s model of care looks at the socioeconomic deÂterminants of wellbeing and foÂcuses on more than just health, helping clients with issues such as housing, employment, educaÂtion and migration.
A big part of the work the sociÂety does involves assisting famiÂlies to set goals and objectives, which aren’t always just health related.
Dr Doherty says the sociÂety would next like to extend its reach into south Auckland and has recently entered into a new contract with the National Hauora Coalition called Mana Kidz, a school-based health serÂvice for primary and intermediÂate students.
The society is a member of Alliance Health Plus and the Kelston Mall clinic will fall under the Waitemata PHO and Alliance Health Plus collective.
There will be two doctors to start with at the clinic, which will also be a teaching practice for GP registrars and nursing students.
At this stage, it is difficult to tell how many people the clinÂic will serve, Dr Doherty says, but he would like to develop a register of around 2000 to 3000 patients.
