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Vercoe Brown And Associates

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    We are an established medical practice in Invercargill, NZ. We are passionate about general practice, & are committed to resolving medical issues when you are sick & working with you to cultivate wellness. We maintain our skills & knowledge to provide you with the best possible care & evidence-based treatments. We have cared for generations of Southlanders, many cultures & ethnicities & treasure the relationship we have with our patients.

    Please give our friendly team a call if you have any questions. Due to full schedules, consultations are by appointment only. We value patient-doctor confidentiality & support your right to choose who you see. We regret we are unable to enrol new patients at this time.

    This practice was founded after the end of WWII in Morton St, Georgetown.  It changed hands several times until Dr John Vercoe took over in 1981.

    The new surgery buildings were opened at 82 Elles Road in 1994.

    Staff
    Our team is made up of GPs (see details below under “General Practitioners”) and:

    Practice Manager: Jan Jenkins

    Nurse Practitioner: Melinda Prekopa (Tues-Fri)

    Clinical Assistant: Andrea Winter

    Nursing Staff: Veronica Corbin, Sheree Ferrari & Lisa Taylor

    Receptionists/Administrators: Di Edwards, Rosie Miller, Ann Sanford, Sarah Healey and Amy Dale

    Health Improvement Practitioner: Courtney McLennan (Tues/Wedn and Fri)

    Health Coach/Community Support Worker: Sharna Todd (Mon-Wedn)

    Practitioners

    • Dr Jane Chalmers

      Dr Jane Chalmers

      General Practitioner - Vocationally Registered
    • Dr Aidan Smith

      Dr Aidan Smith

      General Practitioner - Vocationally Registered
    • Dr Andrew Costello

      Dr Andrew Costello

      General Practitioner - Vocationally Registered

    Services Provided

    Immunisation

    Immunisation is the safest and most effective way to provide protection for you and your tamariki’s health. For more information view the NZ immunisation schedule.

    Service types

    • Pregnancy vaccinations
    • Childhood immunisation programme
    • 45 year old vaccinations
    • 65 year old vaccinations
    • Adult flu vaccine
    • Child flu vaccine
    • Diphtheria / Tetanus / Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine
    • Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
    • Measles / Mumps / Rubella (MMR) vaccine
    • Meningococcal vaccine
    • Shingles vaccine
    • Travel vaccinations
    Adult and Child Medical Care

    Your GP's surgery is far more than a place to go when you are feeling unwell and needing a quick cure. The doctor who sees you has gone through an extensive medical training to equip her or him to help children and adults of all ages with a range of physical and emotional difficulties. GPs are at the centre of the healthcare hub and will be aware of services and expertise that are available locally and further-a-field. GPs are also aware of the link that stress and unhappy life events have on physical health so know when to suggest a talking therapy rather than medication.

    Minor Accident and Injury Care

    Primary care practices offer a range of services and are able to deal with most minor accident care. If they are not able to deal with an injury they will refer on to the appropriate service.

    Cervical Screening

    All women and people with a cervix aged 25 – 69 who have ever had intimate skin-to-skin contact or been sexually active should have regular cervical screening. This includes women who have been immunised against HPV. Together, regular screening and HPV immunisation provide the best protection against cervical cancer.

    There are now more options for how you have cervical screening done:

    • a simple vaginal swab test for HPV, either done yourself or with help from a healthcare professional
    • a cervical sample taken by a healthcare professional (used to be known as a smear test).

    Talk with your healthcare provider to decide which option is best for you.

    If HPV is found, you may need to have a follow-up test or be referred directly for colposcopy.

    If you’ve not yet had HPV testing, you should be screened 3 years after your last test (or 1 year if immune deficient). Once you have had an HPV test, and providing HPV is not found, your next screening will be in 5 years (or 3 years if immune deficient).

    For more information: Cervical screening | Time to Screen - National Screening Unit

    Liquid Nitrogen

    Liquid nitrogen is a fast, effective treatment provided in many practices to treat viral warts, sun damaged skin, skin tags and many benign cosmetic lesions. It comes in a container with a nozzle and is usually applied by swab or spray. Often one treatment is all that is needed but sometimes it may need repeating after two weeks.
    Because it cannot be stored for too long, you will often find that your GP will treat a number of patients one after the other. 

    For more information click here.

    Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC)

    LARC methods are very effective at preventing unplanned pregnancy and are “fit and forget” forms of contraception – you don’t need to remember them every day or every month. LARC methods:

    • Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (IUCD or IUD) are inserted through the cervix into a woman’s uterus. IUCDs may be either hormonal (Mirena® or Jaydess® ) or non-hormonal (copper IUCD).
    • Jadelle® is a hormone-releasing implant that is inserted just under the skin of the upper arm.

    Depending on the type of device, it will need to be changed after between three and ten years.

    Read more about LARC methods here

    Service types

    • Implant (Jadelle) inserts
    • IUD inserts
    • Free or subsidised contraception services (enquire for eligibility and details)
    • Implant (Jadelle) removal
    • IUD removals
    Travel Health Advice

    Another service offered to you at your GP surgery (primary care practice) is advice and immunisation before you go to another country. While you are likely to have the immunisations needed to live in New Zealand, there may be other injections you need to protect yourself before going for example to Africa or South America. In some places you will need protection from rabies or malaria. Yellow fever vaccinations are only available at approved centres; please click here to view the centres in New Zealand. Your doctor will be able to tell you what diseases you will need to be protected from in any named country and advise you on other medical matters. 

    Fee comment

    From 19 August 2024 (Inclusive of 15% GST)

    NB: if cost is a barrier to your visiting the Doctor or Nurse Practitioner, please contact the WellSouth Voucher Line by calling 0800 477 115 (option 2) Monday to Friday 8.30 am - 4.30 pm

    These fees apply to usual ordinary daytime medical consultations for enrolled and funded patients.  Extras like referral letters, forms, long consultations, dressings, and procedures will incur extra costs.

     

    Service

    Amount

    Prescriptions 

    $20.00

    Steroid Injection

    95.00

    Not enrolled, non-funded patients     

    100.00

    Surgical procedures (30mins)    

    380.00

    House calls

    150.00

    Visits to Resthome residents

    150.00

    Failed Doctor’s appointment

    up to 30.00

    Failed Nurse’s appointment

    up to 20.00

    Statement fee on all accounts unpaid at the end of the month

    5.00

    Phoned prescriptions for children under 14 yrs of age

    Free

    Phoned prescriptions for pts aged 14 – 17 years of age

    10.00

    Blood pressure check

    20.00

    Jadelle device placements consult +$150 but this maybe free for some groups please ask.

    IUCD/Pipelle consult +$160 but free for some groups – please ask

    Smears by Nurse are free for some groups otherwise a usual Nurse consult fee of $35 applies.

    Childhood Immunisations / Weight / Pregnancy Test - no charge.

    VercoeBrown does provide publicly funded subsidised maternity care for the First Trimester only.

    Subsidised care funding does not include consultations related to accidents, Driver’s License examinations, Insurance Company reports, sports related medical certificates etc.  

    Please note: phone calls with the Practice Nurse may incur a charge if over 10mins in duration.

    How do I access this service?

    • Enrolled patients
    • Make an appointment

    Disability Assistance

    • Provision for wheelchair access