New doctors fly in for Health Centre
With the arrival of two new locums from Philadelphia, USA at Dannevirke’s Barraud Street Health Centre, patients should have greater security in health care for at least the mid-term, the centre says.
Dr Elaine Reed and Dr Richard Neill have decided to make the move to New Zealand to fulfil a one-year contract because they heard from friends the country was “gorgeous”.
After two weeks they say they have no reason to think that was exaggeration.
Both are experienced doctors, having spent the last 21 years in practise in Philadelphia and six years at the University of Kentucky.
They said they were not prepared to retire from medicine and New Zealand fitted the bill.
Richard said they also chose New Zealand because it had the same language, but he admits to already struggling with local terms like “jersey” [sweater].
The couple plan to return to Kentucky to be near family at the end of their term in New Zealand. They have two sons — one teaching English in Vietnam and the other job hunting in California.
In the meantime they want to trip around New Zealand taking in experiences the country has to offer.
Richard says planning can be overrated and the best experiences often just happen, like witnessing the Crusaders beating the Lions in the Super 15 Rugby Final at AMI Stadium.
Dr Craig MacMillan, who arrived as a locum three months ago, said he thinks the couple have made a good decision.
He and his wife Charlotte are loving living in Dannevirke with their son Duncan, 4, and he is confident his new colleagues will too.
All three are here for at least a year and they say patients will be pleased to have continuity of care.