Jasper Heijtel, owner Ōhope Beach Medical Centre

When people talk about “healthcare” they often picture hospitals or ambulances on the road. But the health of the Eastern Bay of Plenty is shaped just as much by what locals do every day. A strong, healthy community is built not only by doctors and nurses, but by the people who live here.

Stay enrolled, stay reachable

Being enrolled with a local GP or Nurse Practitioner ensures you get care when you need it, and it directs funding back into Eastern Bay practices instead of elsewhere. If you move house, change phone numbers, or switch practices, letting your clinic know protects you from missing important recalls, test results, or screening offers. Even one missed colon screening letter can matter.

Use local services wisely

Primary care in the Eastern Bay is busy, and you help your neighbours when you:

• Attend your appointment or cancel early so the slot can be offered to someone else
• Book a double appointment when you have several issues to discuss, rather than trying to squeeze them all into a single standard consult
• Reserve after-hours and Emergency Department visits for genuine urgent needs

These habits reduce waiting times for everyone, including you.

Prevention protects the whole town

Child immunisation, Flu shots, heart checks, skin checks, and cancer screening aren’t just “personal choice” they change the health profile of the whole community. In a sunny coastal area like the Eastern Bay of Plenty, early melanoma detection matters. In a region with high rates of diabetes and heart disease, regular reviews prevent hospital admissions. Prevention is community protection.

Look out for one another

In small places, neighbours are often the first line of support. A quiet check-in with an older neighbour, or a conversation with a stressed young parent in the supermarket carpark, may be the moment someone decides to seek help. Health is social, not just clinical.

Shared place, shared responsibility

Our clinicians, nurses, admin teams and urgent care services do their part daily. When the people of Eastern Bay of Plenty play their part, by enrolling, updating details, using services wisely, and caring for one another, the whole region benefits: shorter waits, safer care, and a community where people can live well for longer.

A healthy Eastern Bay isn’t built by the health system alone. It is built by all of us who call this place home.