The Doctors Silverstream

28/04/2026

❄ VACCINES TO CONSIDER THIS SEASON ❄

📌 Influenza (flu) vaccine
The flu changes each year, so annual vaccination is recommended. It helps protect against the most common circulating strains and reduces the risk of severe illness. The flu vaccine is funded for eligible groups, including people aged 65+, pregnant people, and those with certain health conditions. If you do not fit the eligibility criteria for a funded flu vaccine, you can still get the flu vaccine with us for a small fee. Learn more.

📌 Covid-19 vaccine
Covid continues to circulate in the community. Staying up to date with boosters helps maintain protection. Covid vaccines are free for everyone aged 5 and over in NZ. They are also available to tamariki from 6 months who are at greater risk of severe illness if they were to get Covid. Timing of boosters will depend on your previous doses.

📌 RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) vaccine
RSV can cause serious illness in babies, older adults and those with a weakened immune system. The Arexvy® vaccine protects against RSV infection. It’s for people who are 60 years of age and older, or adults 50 to 59 years of age who are at increased risk for RSV. It isn’t funded in NZ.

📌 Shingles vaccine
Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus and can lead to long-lasting nerve pain. While it can occur at any time of year, now is a good time to consider vaccination alongside the flu vaccine. Shingrix® (the shingles vaccine) is recommended for adults aged 50 and over. It is funded for people aged 65, and for those aged 18+ who are at increased risk of shingles.

Our team can help you decide which vaccines are right for you this winter!

26/04/2026

❄ Protect yourself and your whānau this winter ❄

Why get vaccinated? Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself and your whānau from winter illness. Vaccines help your immune system recognise and fight infections, which can:

▪ Reduce your risk of getting seriously unwell
▪ Lower the chance of hospitalisation
▪ Help protect vulnerable people around you
▪ Support community immunity during the autumn and winter peak.

Even if you’re generally healthy, vaccination can reduce the severity of illness and minimise time off work or school. This is especially important for:

❗ People aged 65+
❗ Pregnant people
❗ Babies and young children
❗ People with long-term health conditions.

24/04/2026

⚠️ CLOSED ANZAC DAY ⚠️

A reminder that our practice will be closed on Monday, 27 April for ANZAC Day.
If you need medical care while we are closed, please see below for a reminder of urgent / after-hours care available in the local area:

🚨 Lower Hutt After-Hours Medical Centre → Walk-in Centre
https://www.lowerhuttafterhours.co.nz/
Every Day 08:00 - 22:00 (inc. weekends + public holidays)
Level 1, Verve on Connolly, 2 Connolly Street, Lower Hutt
(ph: 04 567 5345)

🩺 Wellington After-Hours Medical Centre → Walk-in Centre
https://www.wamc.co.nz/
Every Day 08:00 - 21:00 (inc. weekends + public holidays)
17 Adelaide Road, Mount Cook, Wellington
(ph: 04 384 4944)

🚨 Practice Plus → Online-Only (Phone or Video)
https://practiceplus.nz/
Weekdays 09:00 - 22:00
Weekends + Public Holidays 08:00 - 20:00
(ph: 0800 7722 7587)

🚨 If you have a medical emergency, please call 111.

21/04/2026

21/04/2026

📣 You can find our new April/May Newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/2fcf2b45245e/ss-mur-2026-april

20/04/2026

📣 SERVICE UPDATE: Please be aware that due to unforeseen circumstances we will be closing the practice at 5PM this evening, 21.04.2026. Our phone lines will close at 5pm, but no pre-booked appointments have been affected by this change.

We can only apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Kind regards, The Doctors Silverstream

20/04/2026

💊 PUBLIC HOLIDAY SCRIPT REMINDER 💊

Just a quick reminder that script requests have a turn-around of up to 72-hours (3-days), so with the ANZAC Day holiday weekend coming up, please remember to get your script requests in as early as possible!

15/04/2026

📢Customer Service announcement

We are committed to providing timely, high-quality care, and our team works hard to accommodate patient needs wherever possible. At times, demand for appointments and services may exceed available resources due to circumstances beyond our control, such as staff illness. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work together toward the best possible outcomes.

Our reception and administrative staff are here to support you and do their best to manage requests during periods of high demand. They play an important role in coordinating care but are not able to directly influence clinical availability or outcomes.

We understand that delays and limitations can be frustrating, and we genuinely empathise with your experience. We ask that all communication with our team remains respectful. Abusive language or behaviour, including swearing or raised voices, is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. Any aggressive behaviour may result in being asked to leave the premises or having a phone call ended. Repeated incidents may affect your continued enrolment with the practice.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us maintain a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for everyone.

The Doctors Silverstream - General Manager.

12/04/2026

The seasonal flu is very contagious 😷 and can spread before symptoms appear until several days after symptoms star 🤒. People are most contagious during the first 3-5 days of their illness. Flu germs spread easily through talking, coughing, and sneezing. The best way to protect you and your whānau is by getting a flu vaccine every year. 💪

08/04/2026

📣Acute Appointment System
Silverstream now offers a limited number of GP phone triage appointments for registered patients on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings.
These appointments are designed for patients with acute medical concerns that require attention on the same day. A GP will contact you by phone to assess your condition and provide advice, treatment, or refer you to the most appropriate next step if needed.
Please ensure you are available to answer a call from a private number, as this is how our GPs will contact you.
These consultations are charged at our standard phone consult fee. For more information, please visit our website.
Please note that these appointments are strictly for acute issues only and are not suitable for:
• Long-term condition management
• Medical or insurance forms
• WINZ documentation
If all acute appointments are fully booked or we are short staffed due to sickness, our reception team may recommend seeking care from an external provider such as an after-hours clinic, emergency department, or online medical service.
In the event of a medical emergency, please call 111 immediately.

23/03/2026

📣 SERVICE UPDATE: Please be aware that due to unforeseen circumstances we will be closing the practice at 5PM this evening, 24.03.2026. Our phone lines will close at 5pm, but no pre-booked appointments have been affected by this change.
We can only apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Kind regards, The Doctors Silverstream