Frequently Asked Questions

Practice Plus is a New Zealand registered company established by Tū Ora Compass Health and Pinnacle Health Network and we’re proud to support local medical centres within our PHO networks.

All Practice Plus GPs are experienced, and licensed medical practitioners, registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand.

Find us at www.practiceplus.nz

You’ll know if your medical centre is signed up to provide a Practice Plus after-hours virtual appointment by finding the Practice Plus booking button on the front page of your medical centre website. Click on the logo and you’ll be taken straight through to the booking pages.

You can also check with your medical centre’s reception staff.

There is no need to download an app or change your GP to access this service.

When you register for Practice Plus, we will ask some personal details so we can identify you, but you will still be enrolled with your usual medical centre.

For those enrolled patients within the Tu Ora, Pinnacle, THINK Hauora and Te Awakairangi PHO regions, clinicians will be able to see a summary of your regular GP patient notes. This area covers most parts of Wellington, Hutt Valley, Wairarapa, Kapiti, Porirua, Central North Island and wider Hamilton areas.

With Practice Plus, you’re only a few clicks away from a same day after-hours Practice Plus GP appointment that suits you. We help tautoko (support) and connect you with trusted medical care quickly, as an after-hours extension to your regular medical centre team and GP.

Through video or phone technology, a Practice Plus GP can privately and securely help treat most medical needs, sicknesses or injuries. From a common cold, contraceptive options, migraines and more, Practice Plus can provide treatment and prescriptions direct to your pharmacy along with health counselling and off-work certificates, as well as many more conditions.

Practice Plus is your medical centre’s trusted virtual health provider, available after-hours, weekdays between 5-10pm or weekends and public holidays between 8am-8pm.

If you need to be seen in-person your Practice Plus GP will provide advice on the next steps in your care plan and the services available including connecting you back with your enrolled medical centre.

The notes of your appointment will be sent back to your enrolled GP for continuity of care, unless you request these not to be shared.

If you have a medical emergency, immediately call 111 as Practice Plus is not appropriate for urgent medical conditions or concerns.

If you require a physical examination, then a virtual appointment is not appropriate.

If you are experiencing the following symptoms, please seek medical advice through Healthline on 0800 611 116 or visit an A&E department GPs / Accident & Urgent Medical Care • Healthpoint

• Breathlessness
• Acute or severe chest pain
• Actively bleeding or deep wounds/lacerations or burns
• Psychosis or delusions
• Suicidal thoughts or considering self-harm
• Persistent vomiting or coughing up blood
• Severe abdominal pain
• Inability to control bowel movements or urination
• Severe headache or giddiness
• Sudden onset numbness, weakness or slurred speech
• Fainting spells, presyncope, or syncope
• Injuries with suspected fractures or dislocations presenting as severe pain, open wounds, deformity, severe bruising or swelling, loss of sensation, limb weakness etc.
• Sudden loss of vision
• Shortness of breath
• Sudden allergic reaction
• Poisoning
• Traumatic head injury
• You are in serious mental crisis

Practice Plus is an After-Hours Service with same day appointments available:

• 5pm to 10pm weekdays
• 8am to 8pm weekends and Public Holidays

You can book in two ways:

1. See a GP now – this will book you into a queue to be seen by the next available GP.
2. Book an appointment – this will allow you to book a specific time that works for you .

Appointments will be 15 minutes long, however if you need more time the GP may continue your appointment for longer at their discretion. If your GP has another appointment scheduled, you have the option to rebook another appointment.

If you are hearing impaired or experience communication difficulties, a virtual appointment may not be appropriate.

If you need help with translation, you may wish to have a support person with you in the appointment

 Your Practice Plus GP will discuss any follow up if it is required before your appointment ends. The GP may suggest booking another virtual appointment or a face-to-face visit with your regular GP.

There is no limit to the number or type of appointments you can book. Each appointment is charged individually.

• $65 for ages 14 and over
• $55 for ages 13 and under
• If you are a Community Service Card holder, you will be charged $19.50 for the appointment.

You will be asked to enter your credit or debit card details when booking your appointment, however your card will not be charged until your appointment is completed.

Practice Plus uses stripe payment gateway, which is certified to the most stringent industry level of security.  

You will receive a tax receipt following your appointment and payment via email.

If for some reason you have a technical issue with your video appointment, the GP will call you back via phone and full appointment fee will be charged. If both these options do not work, you will not be charged for the appointment.

If you and/or your child have been issued with a Practice Plus coupon code, you can use it to contribute towards the cost of your Practice Plus virtual appointment. When you arrive at the payment screen, you will be asked to apply a coupon code. Enter your coupon code (normally 6-8 letters and numbers) and click ‘Apply’. The dollar value of the discount will then show and advise if there is any balance to be paid.

Please read the terms and conditions of the coupon carefully as some coupons are for single use so can only be used once, and some coupons may only be valid for a limited time.

If you need assistance with your coupon, please contact the issuer or email help@practiceplus.nz

Please note: Coupons cannot be sold or redeemed for cash. In the event of a dispute, over the value or use of a Coupon, we will review the circumstances leading to the dispute and will act in accordance with all applicable laws. However, we are not obliged to refund the customer, and we reserve all our rights under law until any such dispute is properly settled.

You can choose to access the service by a smartphone, tablet or laptop with a camera and a good internet connection. You can test your wi-fi connection in the virtual waiting room before your consultation.

Practice Plus is suitable for Android 5.0 or higher and devices with ARMv7 processors required for video calling. You can also use iOS10 or higher, on the devices below:

• iPhone 6S or later
• iPad air or iPad Air 2
• iPad Mini 2 or later
• iPad Pro (1st generation) or later
• iPad (5th generation) or later
• iPod touch (6th generation)

• Ensure you have a good internet connection. This may mean avoiding having people in your household live streaming a video on your wi-fi network. This could result in poor quality video
• Have your current medications with you and think about having a pen and paper to write down what you want to discuss and any follow up actions
• Choose somewhere private where you can talk freely and safely. If others are present, let your GP know, through the chat function if needed
• Have your payment card ready (debit or credit)
• Hands-free devices offer a better call experience. If you are using a smartphone or tablet, find a way to prop it so you can move around freely
• Practice Plus will send you an email and a SMS / text message 15 minutes before the appointment is due to start
• It is helpful if you know your usual GP and your desired pharmacy you want your script sent to for you to collect
• Check you are clear about instructions during the appointment for medication, work certificates, self-care advice at home, and warning signs you need to seek further care

Yes, if you need a prescription, your Practice Plus GP will securely send your prescription directly to your selected pharmacy electronically, through the NZ ePrescription Service.

There may be some circumstances when we are unable to provide a prescription for a medication in a virtual appointment due to New Zealand law and regulations. Please see the Prescription terms and conditions for more detail.

 

Depending on your condition and medication, you may need to see your enrolled GP before receiving a new or repeat prescription. This will be at the clinical discretion of the Practice Plus GP.

For an ongoing stable long-term condition, a Practice Plus GP would only give a repeat once for 3 months and you would be required to see your enrolled GP in person after that period for a full assessment.

Practice Plus is unable to provide controlled medications, even if they are “repeats” for ongoing conditions. You will need to see your usual enrolled GP as they have an ongoing relationship with you and can monitor your ongoing health needs. Any controlled drug can only be provided after an in-person appointment.

As part of your registration and use of Practice Plus, you agree that any product, medicine or medication that a Practice Plus GP prescribes you will be solely used for your own personal use.

Additionally, you will not allow any other person to take, use or have access to that medication. If medication is provided or delivered, you will only take that medication in conjunction with any other medication that you have already disclosed to a Practice Plus GP prior to the issuing of the prescription.

Before taking any medication prescribed to you, you will read all information provided to you by the Practice Plus GP, the dispensing Pharmacist or by the manufacturer of the product and will follow that advice. If there is any conflict between the advice provided by a Practice Plus GP and the manufacturer of the product or the pharmacist, you must contact a Practice Plus GP before taking the medication.

If while taking medication, you suffer any noticeable side effects that are causing you concern, we recommend you seek advice from a health professional. This could mean re-booking an appointment with a Practice Plus GP or your usual GP or Pharmacist, to allow them to monitor the effect of the medications prescribed to you.
For urgent care or severe side-effects dial 111 and ask for an ambulance.

• Notes will be shared with your GP, this ensures continuity of care between your regular care team and your Practice Plus GP as their trusted virtual health provider.
• If you don’t want the notes shared with you regular GP, please advise the Practice Plus GP and your appointment notes will not be passed on.
  

You can book virtual appointments for your family and whānau. For under 16-year-olds, parents and guardians can book appointments for their minors. Just enter their name and date of birth as well as the preferred parent/guardian contact details as part of the booking process.

Adults 16 years or over must book their own appointments for themselves, unless you are someone’s carer and/or have Power of Attorney over their affairs.

Medical certificates will be provided after your online appointment, we will email these direct to you.

Practice Plus is unable to offer vaccination exemption certificates as part of the service.

Sometimes, you might need some additional care to get well so you will need to be directed back to your enrolled GP for an in-person appointment. If your condition requires referral to specialist care you will normally need to be seen by your enrolled GP.

Your Practice Plus GP will refer you for any tests and follow up face-to-face appointments if that is required or once again connect you back with your enrolled GP.

If the video fails (picture stops or freezes or sound stops), the GP will ring you on your contact number to assist you or complete the appointment on the phone.

If you need to reset your password, use the forgot password link.

Fantastic news! Please email us at help@practiceplus.nz to register your interest in joining our team of highly skilled Practice Plus clinicians.

Any recruitment information will remain confidential and used only for the purposes intended.