Sumner Health Centre news and Views

Healthcare Advice Online

Why not check out our After Hours Care section - it's full of hints and tips to help you deal with common family emergencies when the surgery is closed. If you would like more information about a subject, please let us know and we will do our best to add it to the site.

Hate To Wait?

Why hang about in the ED when you can have your injuries assessed and in most cases treated locally? We can treat most injuries including bumps, bruises, sprains, strains, cuts and even some minor fractures. With fast-track access to low-cost private x-rays at the 24 Hour Surgery, why wait? Quality local first aid can also reduce pain and hasten recovery for more significant injuries.

Vitamin C benefit in cancer?

A recent study published by Kuiper et al (Cancer Res; 70(14) July 15, 2010) has generated a lot of interest as it links low levels of vitamin C in endometrial (womb) cancer cells with more aggressive tumours.  It was a very well conducted study and is unusual for a medical paper in that it is also a good read.  Sadly, this study does not show that vitamin C supplementation helps or prevents cancer.  Rather, it shows that in some tumours, lower levels of vitamin C in the tumour cells are associated with more aggressive tumours.  This was only in the tumours, and vitamin C levels were not measured in the patients so we do not know whether patients who had higher levels of vitamin C intake had milder cancers.
To date, there is evidence that intravenous vitamin C can produce concentrations in the body that inhibit the growth of some rat tumours in the lab, but no evidence at all that this helps humans; nor is there any logical reason to believe that any inhibitory effect would last long enough to make any difference.  Oral vitamin C has been proven to be ineffective in treating tumours.  It does not work for colds either.

Ear-Cam Has Arrived

Ok, we admit that it's a bit weird, and probably more than a little sad but have you ever wondered what the inside of your ear looks like? Now, Sumner Health Centre can show you - we have obtained one of the first Welch-Allyn digital Macroview otoscopes in New Zealand, allowing us to take photographs inside ears.

This photo shows a normal right eardrum and demonstrates the amazing capabilities of this new device.

The Calcium Question

Recent press coverage has focussed on the question of whether calcium supplements may increase the risk of heart disease.  A study published in August 2010 grouped together several other papers and found the risk of heart disease due to calcium supplements lay between 1 and 1.6 times the normal risk.  This paper had several critical flaws though including:

• All the included papers used different age groups and populations.
• None of the included research was designed to look for heart disease.
• The observed wide range of results suggests excess experimental variation.
• None of the papers included vitamin D.

On balance, we see no reason to change if you are currently taking calcium supplements.  It remains Sumner Health Centre policy to prescribe calcium supplements only in combination with vitamin D and only to people with a relatively low dietary calcium intake.

Subsidised Mole Removal

Did you know that you can ask your GP to refer you to Sumner Health Centre for top quality minor surgery? Our usual price for most mole removal is $145 but you may qualify for a subsidy of up to $120 depending on your circumstances. Remember, to qualify, you MUST be referred by your own GP.

New Doctor For Sumner

Many of our patients have now met Dr. Catriona 'Cat' MacGregor, who was covering maternity leave for Alex (pictured left).  We are delighted to be able to confirm that Cat has agreed to join our permanent staff and will be taking on new patients.  This now means that Sumner Health Centre will have one of the lowest ratios of doctors to patients in Christchurch meaning you should always be able to get an appointment!
For Alex fans - she will be back from leave from the 21st June 2010.

Last chance jabs...

Don't forget that you only have until the end of June to get your influenza vaccine.  The vaccine is FREE for many people and only $25 for everyone else.