Introducing Kristina Panzic

We are delighted to introduce Kristina, who joins our team at the end of the month. She will be working all day Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. This is what she says about herself:

“Kristina has been working in the Greater Auckland region since 2012 and as a GP since 2016. She enjoys all aspects of general practice and finds working alongside patients across their lifetime very fulfilling. In terms of preventative medicine, she tends to follow a HAES model (Health At Every Size). She has additional qualifications in palliative care, having spent 6 months working at North Shore Hospice.  Alongside her sessions in General Practice, Kristina currently works in the acute oncology unit at Auckland City Hospital.
In her “spare” time, Kristina enjoys spending time with her two young boys and husband, singing and arranging barbershop music, camping, and eating chocolate”

Cervical Screening

Cervical Screening (“smears”) is changing from middle of September. For most women this will be just a vaginal swab rather than an intimate examination. (small cotton bud which the woman can use to take the sample herself). This swab tests for the HPV virus, which is the cause of abnormal smears and cervical cancer. If the test is negative for the virus, we usually test again in 5 years. If it is positive, we (nurse or doctor) then do an examination and take a sample of cells from the cervix, as we previously did for everyone.

Women who have had a previously abnormal smear may still need an examination and sample taken directly from the cervix.

You will be advised by your nurse or doctor which test is recommended for you.

Fees Review

We will be reviewing our fees in October. We have not yet applied the July allowed Ministry of Health fees increase. We will  advise via newsletter when we do this.