The Kaipara Medical Centre has begun the search for a new Practice Manager to lead its team through the next stage of growth and development.
The new role is being created after an external review of the Centre identified the need for a full-time manager to oversee the operation of the busy GP clinic.
Kaipara Medical Centre Chair, Dianne Kidd says with so much growth in the northwest Rodney area it’s important the Centre is able to expand and cater to its diverse population.
A recent Health Needs Assessment report found the South Kaipara has an ageing population and many more young families are moving to the area. The demographics are now 20% Mâori including the five marae of Ngâti Whâtua o Kaipara.
“Our new Practice Manager will be someone with sound management experience, the enthusiasm and confidence to seek out new business opportunities and the ability to establish our reputation as a leading provider of health to a largely rural community.”
As a result two part-time roles have been disestablished, those of Richard Reid as Business Manager and John Issott as the centre’s Administration Manager.
Dianne Kidd says “both men are well known to our patients and we are immensely grateful for their years of dedicated and committed service to the health of our community.”
John has worked for the Kaipara Medical Centre for 13 years. He will continue his long-standing commitment to local health through his other part-time role as Administration Manager at the Helensville District Health Trust and his many years of volunteer service with the local St John Ambulance Area Committee.
Richard Reid will likely be a familiar face for a while yet while the transition to the new Practice Manager is completed.
Dianne Kidd says the growth of the local GP service has been significant over the years from a sole-charge rural doctor around 50-plus years ago, to a large medical practice with eight doctors and 16 other nursing and support staff servicing over 6000 registered patients.
She says one of the rewards of this new job will be uplifting the health of the South Kaipara community, especially for Mâori and other ethnic minorities.
Meanwhile, plans for the building of a pharmaceutical dispensary within the Kaipara Medical Centre building have been put on hold until the Practice Manager role is filled.
Applications for the role close in the middle of November.
