Practice Charter

At Masterton Medical your healthcare is our priority.  It is our aim to provide all our patients with access to the best quality of care available.  We take a WE CARE approach. This is based on our key values of: Wellbeing, Empathy, Confidentiality, Approachability, Respect and Engagement. We also work to uphold the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights.

The Practice Charter details:

  • Our responsibilities to you.
  • What you can expect from engaging with our medical practice and the team here.
  • Your responsibilities to us.

Our responsibilities to you:

It is our responsibility to ensure that all our patients, regardless of age, ethnicity, financial status, and gender are treated equally and equitably. This means:

  • All patients are treated courteously by all of our staff.
  • All patients are welcomed into a safe and friendly environment.
  • Patient dignity and independence are respected.
  • Patient confidentiality and privacy are upheld in accordance with both the Health Information Privacy Code 1994 and our own Privacy Policy.
  • Communication is always encouraged to be a two-way exchange between patients and staff.
  • Patients are provided with clear information about their healthcare issues and any treatment required.
  • Our staff will check that patients have understood the information given.
  • Patients feel confident that they have the right information to make an informed choice and give informed consent.
  • Patient feedback is encouraged.
  • Patient concerns are valued, listened to, and addressed.
  • Where a patient requires additional assistance, this will be provided.
  • Where access to healthcare can be improved or enhance, we will tailor our services to individuals as well as groups of patients.

You can expect to:

  • Be treated by a qualified GP or nurse.
  • Receive the best quality of care available.
  • Be given a standard 15-minute appointment.
  • Wait for no more than 30 minutes for your appointment, and to be advised if delays are occurring.
  • Receive a service free from discrimination, coercion, harassment, and exploitation.
  • Be asked to pay for services on the day.
  • Be able to tell us, confidentially, if you need help with paying our fees.
  • Experience a high standard of hygiene maintained at the practice at all times.
  • Make a formal complaint via our complaint’s procedure.
  • Be referred to a relevant medical specialist, where necessary.
  • Bring with you a support person.
  • Be free to request an interpreter, if required.
  • Be asked for your consent for a student doctor or nurse to be present at your appointment. Where consent is not given, no medical student will be present.
  • Receive urgent care during our opening hours.
  • Receive a repeat prescription within 48 hours of request.
  • Have access to the Wairarapa After Hours service at weekends and on public holidays, (please note fees apply for the Wairarapa After Hours service).
  • Request access to your medical records.
  • Be informed about any changes at the practice that may affect you.

Your responsibilities to us:

By engaging with our services, it is your responsibility to:

  • Be courteous and polite to all our staff at all times. Physical or verbal abuse will not be tolerated, and we reserve the right to permanently remove from our register any patient who is disrespectful to staff and/or other patients, demonstrates inappropriate behaviour or who betrays trust.
  • Respect the privacy of our staff and other patients by refraining from any photography or filming while in the practice.
  • Cancel an appointment no later than two hours prior if it is no longer needed. Failure to do so will incur a consultation fee.
  • Respect that we operate a ‘one patient, one appointment’ policy.
  • Respect that appointments are 15 minutes per patient.
  • Limit discussing no more than two medical issues within the 15-minute appointment.
  • Make a longer appointment if there are several issues to be discussed.
  • Be on time for appointments. If you arrive more than 7 minutes late (halfway through your appointment time) the doctor will not see you and you will be charged for the consultation.
  • Understand that not every appointment results in the GP issuing a prescription.
  • Only request an urgent appointment for an urgent matter.
  • Take medications according to the instructions provided.
  • Order a repeat prescription 48 hours before the medication is required.
  • Attend for tests and specialist appointments, where your GP has made a referral.
  • Inform us of any changes to your personal details – name, address, phone number and email.
  • To pay for services on the day.
  • Advise us if you require assistance with paying for medical fees incurred at our practice.
  • Inform us if we have not upheld our responsibilities according to this charter.