Media release from White Cross

Health Minister Tony Ryall today officially opened the biggest White Cross family medicine centre in the country.

The-state-of-the-art  Lunn Ave Medical Centre in Mt Wellington, Auckland, is a 2000m², three-level integrated health facility offering accident and medical as well as full low cost family primary care services, with extended opening hours, seven days per week.

In addition, it offers an integrated service with dentistry, pharmacy, radiology and allied health on site, with the ultimate goal to provide full primary and secondary integration at the centre.

 "We have a strong desire and the capacity for ADHB to provide community based secondary services here, including such things as CT and MRI diagnostics, outpatient clinics, orthopaedics, midwifery, renal dialysis etc," White Cross CEO Alistair Sullivan says.

"Of course our vision would have to be shared by the DHB, and we are currently pursuing dialogue with ADHB about these exciting possibilities," he says.

"We consider that our vision conforms to the Government's better, sooner, more convenient healthcare philosophy and, if successful, this new facility could be a used as a model for the rest of the country."

In the meantime, White Cross is offering a full and affordable primary care service, including after hours, under capitation with ProCare, to the suburb and surrounds.

"White Cross is mapping health care services to the community - in this case we have moved our Baycare White Cross clinic in Mission Bay to the much bigger Lunn Ave facility to accommodate a rapidly growing population."

Dr Sullivan says the GP fee structure is aligned with other practices in the area, eg, free consultations for children under six years of age. And White Cross is open to working with neighbouring GPs to support their patients after hours, eg, with subsidised fees, no enrolment and shared notes. 

White Cross is also working with local iwi to fill the gap in services left in Mission Bay.

"Ngati Whatua is extending its Orakei GP practice and we have facilitated its move in to our former Baycare premises," Dr Sullivan says.

The Lunn Ave facility is soon to be home to the College of Urgent Care (formerly AMPA) and has nearly one entire level (1000m²) currently untenanted.

"It is in this space that we would like to accommodate ADHB services," Dr Sullivan says.

A bronze plaque was unveiled acknowledging the health minister's role in opening the new facility.