Waitaki Valley patients have a new medical service, after the Kurow Medical Centre successfully lobbied the Rural Otago Primary Health Organisation for funding.
The medical centre, owned by the Waitaki Valley Medical Trust, now offers fortnightly home visits by registered nurse Pam Currall, to meet the needs of those who have problems getting to the Kurow centre.
Medical centre practice manager Claire Easton yesterday said she saw a need for such a service.
"We found that people were sometimes unable to come to the doctor and the medical centre for a number of different reasons, ranging from the increasing cost of fuel to the inability to drive," she said.
That was compounded by the rural area having no public transport.
She explained the need to the PHO, which agreed to fund the fortnightly home service.
The service covers such things as assessing patients' ability to cope at home, blood and blood-pressure tests, medical advice, and support for long-term invalids.
