29/05/2025
Kawau Bay Health – Patient Newsletter
May 2025 Edition
A Fond Farewell and a Warm Welcome
We have some important updates to share from the Kawau Bay Health team.
After many years of dedicated service, Dr. Kate Baddock has retired. Dr. Baddock has been an integral part of our practice, and her warmth, expertise, and commitment to patient care will be deeply missed by both colleagues and patients. Over the past three months, many of her patients have had the opportunity to see her and plan for their ongoing care.
While Dr. Baddock is retiring from regular practice, we’re pleased to let you know she will still support the team occasionally as a locum between her travels. If you were previously under Dr. Baddock’s care, you are welcome to select another doctor from our current team. If you’d like help with this transition, our reception team is happy to assist.
Kawau Bay Health continues to be GP-owned, and Dr. Baddock’s place in our partnership has been taken by Dr. Jing He. Many of you already know Dr. He through her years of dedicated service and her warm, thoughtful approach to care. We’re excited to have her in this leadership role.
We’re also thrilled to welcome a new GP to our team: Dr. Neil Vaz Viegas, a New Zealand-trained doctor who has recently relocated from Christchurch with his young family. Dr. Vaz Viegas has a special interest in children’s health and paediatrics. Please note that for religious reasons, he does not prescribe family planning medications or HRT for women under 55, but is happy to assist with all other aspects of general practice. We’re confident you’ll enjoy getting to know him.
Introducing Our Nurse-Led Ear Clinic
We’re pleased to now offer ear suctioning for excessive wax buildup through our dedicated ear clinic. This service is run by our specially trained nurse, Raphael, and is available to both enrolled and non-enrolled patients.
Appointments can be booked via reception at either our Snells Beach or Warkworth clinics. If you’ve been experiencing discomfort or hearing issues due to ear wax, this may be a helpful solution.
Flu Vaccinations 2025
The 2025 flu vaccine has arrived, and appointments are now open at both our Snells Beach and Warkworth clinics. To book your flu shot, please contact reception.
The flu vaccine is free for the following groups:
People aged 65 years and over
People aged 6 months and over with long-term medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, asthma, heart disease)
Pregnant people
Children over 4 years old who have been hospitalized for a respiratory illness
Individuals with serious mental health conditions or addiction
12 Month Prescriptions 2026
The government recently announced that from next year some New Zealanders will be able to receive 12 months prescriptions, saving them from unnecessary visits to the GP. This is great news for those who remain very stable taking medications for several long term conditions where medical review is not required, but for many people, visiting the doctor will still be the best way to ensure their medications give them the best quality of life. We expect that more information will become available before the new guidelines commence in 2026 and we will keep you updated.
As always, thank you for being part of the Kawau Bay Health community.
Warm regards,
The Team at Kawau Bay Health
