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Improving patient experience is one of the key drivers behind the Mahurangi Health Collective in Neville Street, Warkworth, which has just marked its first year in operation.
“It’s a year, but it’s not,” one of the principals Hannah Edwards explains. “We opened our doors for four weeks and then the country went into lockdown. Only The SunDocs was classified as an essential service, so the rest of us had to shut down like everyone else. It was a bumpy start, but we feel we are really starting to pick up momentum now.”
As well as the skin care practice SunDocs, the collective umbrellas Elite Feet Podiatry, Movewell Physio, Body Work Massage, Smith Shoes and, most recently, The Hand Clinic. Collective principal and senior podiatrist Colin Edwards says the new building is a big step up compared to his former rooms in Falls Road.
“From a patient point of view, it makes a lot of sense to house allied health professionals under one roof,” he says. “It provides the opportunity to diagnose in a holistic way.
“For instance, a person might present with an ankle injury but, in fact, the cause of the problem could stem from another part of the body.
“With multiple practitioners under one roof, we are becoming very familiar with what each of us does and this means we can refer the patient to the professional who is best placed to help them. This streamlines the service and removes barriers for the patient.
“By sharing our collective knowledge, the patient can get care they need.”
As well as individual rooms, there is a shared rehabilitation area with a treadmill and other equipment to help the podiatrists and physios, in particular, supervise their patients as they test the treatments and exercises that are being recommended.
They can also try on shoes from Smiths Shoes, which specialises in technical footwear for sports and walking.
Hannah says the ultimate goal of the Mahurangi Health Collective means local residents no longer have the inconvenience of having to travel to Auckland to get the full range of care they need.
“The professionals in the collective all have the same work/patient ethic and being in the collective gives us opportunities to do in-service training together, share treatment techniques and learn from one another.”
With room to expand, Hannah and Colin say there will be an opportunity to add services when gaps are identified. This could, for example, be an orthopaedic specialist, nutritionist/dietitian or life coach.
THE SERVICES
SunDocs
SunDocs is run by Dr David Hassan, who is a general practitioner with a specialist interest in skin cancer diagnosis and management (GPSI). The clinic provides skin checks, skin excision/surgery at the Rodney Surgical Centre in Warkworth and the Silverdale Medical Centre, cryotherapy, topical therapy and simple office skin procedures. The practice is also an affiliated provider for Southern Cross and other insurers, and skin GPSI for Healthnz.
Dr Hassan says no-one has a good reason not to get their skin checked with friendly, local skin professionals. There are also free Saturday spot checks with trained dermoscopy nurse Julz Bolton. “Early diagnosis makes a difference with skin cancers, so get checked and don’t let it sit,” Dr Hassan says.
Smiths Shoes
While Smiths Shoes specialises in technical sports footwear, it has also come to represent a place where sports men and women of all ages can get expert advice on their footwear requirements. It stocks most major brands and there is plenty of opportunity within the Collective building to test the shoes to make sure they fit properly, provide the right cushioning and are the right weight. Store owner Niki Robinson says there are a few things to remember when buying a sports shoe – your body weight, your sole (whether it’s flat or arched), the running surface you will be using (indoor, road, treadmill, etc.) and how frequently you run. “When we know the answers to these questions, we are in a much better position to help customers find the right shoe for them,” she says.
Elite Feet Podiatry
As well as being based at the Collective in Warkworth, Elite Feet runs clinics in Wellsford, Mangawhai, Dargaville and Ruakaka. The team includes senior podiatrist Colin Edwards, plus podiatrists Shirley McGahan, Dr Jeffrey Carnett and Pippa Phillips.
“Our focus is on holistic care, from ongoing management to injury rehabilitation and prevention,” Colin says. As well as general podiatry care, the clinics offer ACC injury rehabilitation, biomechanics and diabetic care. The podiatrists can advise on orthotics and footwear, and work with residential and home care facilities, paediatrics and Veterans’ Affairs.
Movewell
As the name suggests, Movewell Physio is about helping people recover from injury and reach their activity goals, whether that is walking the dog or becoming an elite athlete. The team of six physiotherapists is led by Joel Mowat with Marina Shannon, Erica Benson, Esther Coenradi, Pierre Gjaltema and Rebekah Davidson, who is a pelvic health physiotherapist. Movewell prides itself on taking the time with patients to get to the root of a person’s problem, rather than adopting a ‘Band-Aid’ approach. Marina says physio care can be helpful at any time in a person’s life. “Naturally, as we age movement slows down, but what we can do is help a person to optimise that movement from head to toe. Our longer appointment times give us the opportunity to provide holistic solutions.” Movewell also has clinics in Wellsford, Ruakaka and Mangawhai.
Bodywork Massage
Like the other services in the Collective, Bodywork Massage takes a very tailored approach to treating clients. Practitioner Louise Hay says holistic massage therapy provides a non-intrusive way of healing that is derived from the direct needs of a person’s body. “That’s why it’s important to consider the patient’s mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing,” she says. Bodywork offers a range of massage services, including therapeutic and myofascial release therapy, with techniques that increase circulation and help muscle recovery, ease aches and pains, and help relieve stress.
The Hand Clinic
The Hand Clinic recently opened its third clinic within the Mahurangi Health Collective, complementing its other two clinics located in Matakana and Wellsford, and providing easy access to hand therapy services within the local community. The three hand therapists are Sandra Kettle, Georgia Barnes and Naomi Marshall. Together, they represent a collective 35 years of experience. They provide a professional approach to the assessment and rehabilitation of injuries and degenerative conditions that affect the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow. The therapists work alongside other health professionals including doctors and specialists to provide comprehensive and holistic care. “We are dedicated to ensuring the rehabilitation is tailored to each individual person’s needs and is of the highest quality to get the best results and you back doing the things you love,” they say. “A referral isn’t required to see us – you are welcome to self-refer.”
