The Ruamahanga Health Trust (RHT) is planning a much-needed extension to the community owned medical centre building to enable the pharmacy to manage their increasing workload and storage.
Demand for pharmacy services has grown significantly and the role of community pharmacists continues to expand. Pharmacists are increasingly providing services that help relieve pressure on doctors and nurses including clinical advice, prescribing medicines, administering vaccinations and providing other important health services closer to home. Quite simply the pharmacy is just not big enough!
Pharmacists are increasingly providing services that help relieve pressure on doctors and nurses including clinical advice, prescribing medicines, administering vaccinations and providing other important health services closer to home.
Having access to more health services is particularly important to the rural community, as well as providing health care to our growing ageing population. Access to local health services reduces the need for people to travel elsewhere for care.
The proposed extension would provide much-needed additional workspace and storage as well as more appropriate spaces for patients to sit while waiting for assistance.
The Lions Club have again very generously agreed that the RHT extend the pharmacy into the space between the existing facility and the Lion’s Den, which will involve the removal of some of the
lean-to structures.
Consented plans have been completed and a local builder will be contracted. The estimated cost of the extension is approximately $300,000. The RHT has some funds saved and we are approaching a number of funding organisations as well as once again relying on our generous community to donate a part of the cost.
The Ruamahunga Health Centre was opened in 2008 on land owned by the Martinborough Lions Club. It was built largely through donations from the community and fund-raising activities to secure a permanent doctor and provide a modern practical and well-equipped facility. Today we have Latitude Health operating the medical practice and Chloe Webb operating the Pharmacy.
If you would like to donate to help fund the extension to the pharmacy please email the RHT secretary – terryblacktop@xtra.co.nz
