One-stop health shop now open

STRATFORD'S new $2million health centre opened this week.
The first patients arrived to see their GP early on Monday morning, following a blessing of the building by kaumatua Hemi Haddon and Dave West from the Whakaahurangi Marae.
The staff from the Avon Medical Centre had already shifted in, and were ready for work in their new premises this week.
Locum Dr Kathryn Dalton is working with Stratford GP Dr Brian Wood until March, and another locum, Dr Duncan Burns, will join him for six months from the end of March.
The Stratford Physiotherapy team has opened this week in a suite at the other end of the building. The centre is also the new home base for the area's midwives and Central Taranaki Audiology.
The new 600sqm facility is an extension of the Taranaki District Health Board health centre, bringing all the community health services together with the DHB services.
It's light and fresh, and still smells of fresh paint and timber.
A new oral health service will soon be open as part of the centre. It is ready for the new equipment to be installed. This central service replaces school-based dental clinics and will include a mobile dental service to care for children's teeth at remote schools.
The new centre is a result of about six years planning and work by the Stratford Health Trust.
Chairman Brian Jeffares says the trust is hopeful the new purpose-built facility will encourage more doctors to move to Stratford.
The landscapers and contractors are completing their final work this week.