News

Repeat Prescriptions (From 1 February 2026)

The current repeat prescribing process involves our clinical team reviewing your medical record to investigate any changes that have occurred, check that your medicines will remain safe for you moving forward, and ensure that monitoring is being undertaken regularly and appropriately.

There is new legislation coming in on 1 February 2026 which will allow doctors to create repeat prescriptions for longer periods. As each person’s health situation is different, an in-depth assessment with your own GP will need to occur to determine if longer prescriptions are suitable for you.

Prescribing of longer prescriptions will be at the discretion of your doctor.

  • How do I know if I’m eligible for longer prescriptions?

Not all patients are eligible for longer prescriptions. Patients that may consider booking an assessment with their doctor to see if they are suitable candidates are patients who:

    • Have stable conditions (no recent changes in health)
    • Are keeping up with screening and recalls (for example diabetic annual reviews, BP checks)
    • Have less than 3 long-term medications
    • Will attend regular reviews as specified by the prescribing doctor (for some patients this will continue to be 3 monthly, or may be up to 1 year)

Some conditions and medications are not eligible for extended prescriptions due to their complexity. Patients who are not eligible include those who:

    • Have been diagnosed with ADHD
    • Are on controlled medicines – Codeine, Morphine etc.
    • Have multiple medical conditions
    • Have potentially unstable health conditions (for example COPD, Heart Failure, Atrial Fibrillation)
  • How can I request a script for a longer period?

If you think you might be eligible for an extended script, an assessment is required with your doctor to review your medication and determine if this is appropriate for you. We encourage you to book this assessment with your doctor well in advance, for example, 3 weeks, and ensure that the appointment is specified as a long prescribing assessment.

Due to the need for an Dr’s assessment, requests for longer scripts will not be accepted from a Manage My Health repeat script request, or via reception or the nursing team.

  • What happens in the assessment with my doctor?

Your doctor will review and discuss your conditions and medications with you to determine if long prescribing is appropriate. Please be aware that this assessment may determine that long prescribing is inappropriate for example if one or two conditions are stable, but there are multiple or unstable other conditions that require more monitoring. If this is the outcome, all medicines will remain on shorter dispensing timeframes. This assessment will occur in a 15-minute consultation and be charged a 15-minute GP consultation fee.

This consultation is a dedicated assessment. If you would like to discuss something else, please book a 30-minute consultation. 

  • Can some medicines be on shorter prescriptions, and some on longer?

No. If one medication requires a shorter dispensing timeframe, then all medications will remain on shorter dispensing timeframes.

  • Will I remain on extended prescriptions indefinitely?

If extended prescriptions are started, this does not mean they will be continued. If your condition changes, or your health needs become more complex, then prescription timeframes may be shortened in the interests of your health and safety.

Nearing the end of each period, a new assessment with your GP will need to occur to re-issue your next extended prescription.

  • Will my pharmacy now give me 12 months’ worth of my medications?

No. Regardless of your script duration, pharmacies will not dispense more than 3 months’ worth of medicine at a time.

  • What if I change my preferred pharmacy?

A new prescription will be required as prescriptions do not transfer between pharmacies.

  • Can I complete an urgent prescription request for a longer prescription?

No. An urgent repeat prescription request will only be completed for a maximum of 3 months.

If you would like to view more information about long prescribing, please select the following links for information prepared by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners:

https://www.rnzcgp.org.nz/documents/651/12-month_prescription_poster_FINAL_2.pdf

https://www.rnzcgp.org.nz/documents/650/12-month_prescription_changes_FAQs_FINAL_2.pdf

ADHD Diagnosing (Update 1 February 2026)

There are some important changes about to come in around the diagnosis of ADHD. This is not something every GP or Nurse Practitioner will be doing. It requires significant training and time to do this well, and at this stage our team have decided to focus on delivering high standard core General Practice work.

Our doctors are happy to see you in a standard consultation and guide you through the updated assessment options for the diagnosis of ADHD.

Notice of Fee Changes 

From 11 September 2025 there will be an update to our consultation fees. 

At Vivian Medical Centre we’re committed to providing high-quality, accessible healthcare to our community. To continue delivering the standard of care you expect — and to keep up with rising costs of running a medical practice — a small increase to our fees will take effect from the above date. 

We understand that changes to healthcare costs can raise questions, and we want to assure you that we have carefully considered this decision. These changes help us to retain skilled staff, invest in resources, and continue offering a wide range of services in a timely and safe manner. 

If you have any questions or would like more information about our updated fees, please feel free to contact us or speak with a member of our team during your next visit. 

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. 

The Team at Vivian Medical Centre