‘It’s been amazing’
Well-known Kā piti doctor set to retire
When Dr Sue Wilson graduated from Otago Medical School more than 40 years ago, she decided to start her career in Kāpiti, and never looked back.
She started her career as a general practitioner in training at Waikanae Health, but back then it was a lot different from what it is now.
At the time there were only four doctors, there was more of a relationship between doctor and patient, and there were no such thing as digital notes – everything was written on small cards and stored in folders. “It was lovely but busy.” Wilson, who lives in Waikanae, spent the next 18 years at Waikanae Health. While changes were happening in the health sector, there were also big changes in her personal life.
During those 18 years, she had two children, Kate and Simon, and was on the committee that established one of only 11 piloted youth one-stop shops in the country at the time: Kāpiti Youth Support.
Once Kāpiti Youth Support was established in 1996, Wilson started splitting her time between that clinic and Waikanae Health.
Kāpiti Youth Support was started after a Government survey of young people showed they wanted better access to health services.
It started very small, much like Waikanae Health, and originally only had one nurse. That’s now gone up to four.
They offer several services, including various health services, community clinics, wellbeing programmes, youth engagement, and education/ training, and are now one of the biggest youth one-stop shops in New Zealand.
Eventually, Wilson said she got burned out at Waikanae Health, so she took a three-month break before working at various clinics around the Wellington region and eventually decided to work at Kā piti Youth Support fulltime.
She’s been working at Kā piti Youth Support fulltime for seven years, with her daughter, Kate Douglas, who is a nurse there.
Looking back on her career, Wilson said she loved it and felt privileged to be a doctor and learn her patients’ stories.
“I’m in awe of holding people’s stories. I feel so privileged to have them share them with me, and for me to walk alongside them.
“I always say to new nurses and doctors that compassion is your most important tool.”
Wilson has enjoyed getting to know everyone in the community and earning the trust of her patients, and said her consultations were especially special because “that’s where real stuff happens”.
She wanted to thank her husband Brian, who sold his electrical business in Te Horo to stay home with the family while she worked, her daughter Kate, who worked with her at Kā piti Youth Support for many years, and her son Simon, who is a dentist at Care Dental and took on many of her patients at the last minute.
Wilson said she’s now looking forward to her retirement, and hoping to spend more time with her three granddaughters, riding her e-bike, and travelling New Zealand.
“I’ll still enjoy bumping into patients that I’ve seen over the years.
“I’m just really grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to have had this career in this community. It’s been amazing, and I’ve loved it.”
Wilson’s last day is December 22.