Rural Academic GP to merge with Grey Medical Centre

In anticipation of the new Grey Integrated Family Health Centre opening next year, two of Greymouth’s general practices will merge at the start of July.

The Rural Academic General Practice (RAGP) based on the Grey Base Hospital campus will close and operate out of the Grey Medical Centre on Tainui St.

The West Coast DHB’s Interim General Manager Grey / Westland Philip Wheble says apart from turning up to a different building, patients of the RAGP will have better parking, and for patients of both general practices, increased hours.

The combined Grey Medical Centre will be open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, including access to appointments over the lunchtime period.

All current staff will transfer to the combined Grey Medical Centre facility. RAGP practitioner Dr Greville Wood is looking forward to the merger.

“It gives us an opportunity to work together and iron out any difference in the way we operate before we move into the new IFHC. We’re looking forward to working closely with our Grey Medical Centre colleagues,” he says.

Patients of both practices can continue to use the phone numbers they are used to. The Grey Medical Centre’s phone number is (03) 769 9300.

“It’s probably useful for RAGP patients to notify before 1 July the likes of their employers and insurance companies about the change, as their general practice will now be called Grey Medical Centre,” Mr Wheble says.

Patients of both general practices should receive a letter about the merger within the next few days.

More information is available on the West Coast DHB website, www.wcdhb.health.nz.

Ends

© Scoop Media