What you need to know about level 2 medical visits

If you are planning to head to the doctor, physiotherapist, chiropractor or dentist once New Zealand moves to alert level 2 on Thursday, there are a few measures to take note of.

Yes, your aches and pains can be treated, but we will not yet be back to life pre-Covid-19.

While most GPs offered telehealth consultations throughout the lockdown and even faceto-face consultations when necessary with strict safety measures in place, health services such as physiotherapy, chiropractic care, non-emergency dental care and sports medicine will now also be available under alert level 2.

According to the Ministry of Health’s official guidelines, telehealth and virtual appointments are still the preferred option under level 2, but face-to-face consultations can be done if the necessary processes are in place.

Dr Phil Schroeder, from the Canterbury Primary Response Group, said patients were encouraged to call their local GP to schedule an appointment and discuss whether a virtual consultation or face-to-face consultation was appropriate.

He said patients would be asked a few health questions, which would also help identify whether they were experiencing any possible Covid-19 symptoms. Such patients would then be tested in a safe and riskcontrolled space.

Physiotherapist Laurie Moore, the owner of Muscle People Physiotherapy in Christchurch, said her practice would still see people through telehealth consultations where possible during level 2, but patients would be able to come in if a face-to-face consultation was required.

‘‘When patients arrive at the clinic, they will be asked to wait in their car until their therapist is ready for them.’’ Laurie Moore physiotherapist

‘‘We will not take any walk-ins and patients will be asked healthrelated questions when they

make a booking by telephone,’’ she said.

‘‘When patients arrive at the clinic, they will be asked to wait in their car until their therapist is ready for them, except of course people who came by taxi or bus and can’t do that.’’

Schroeder said members of the public did not need to wear masks when visiting their GP, unless they were instructed to do so for medical reasons.

‘‘The most important thing is keeping a good metre distance from other individuals and regularly washing your hands or using a hand sanitiser — that is more important than wearing a mask,’’ he said.

Kennedy said all patients were entitled to bring a chaperone, but it was preferable for patients to attend their appointment alone.

Patients were encouraged to pay by payWave, but cash would be accepted and staff would wear gloves when handling cash payments.

Several dentists spoken to by Stuff yesterday confirmed that draft regulations had been issued to dental practices, but said final regulations approved by the Dental Council and the Ministry of Health had not yet been received.

Stuff understands the draft regulations allow dentists to resume routine care after they were allowed to hold only emergency consultations during level 3.

General practice experts from the University of Otago have said Covid-19 may be the catalyst for significant changes in how GPs operate in New Zealand in the future.

In a joint statement, they agreed that while the pandemic had presented challenges for GPs, some positives had emerged.

‘‘The question is, how do we get the right balance between face-toface and virtual means of continuing our relationships with patients and providing care that meets their needs?’’ they said.