Welcome and kia ora to your Christchurch PHO

On this website you’ll find all the information you need to enjoy feeling great physically, mentally, emotionally and keep living life to the full as a vital member of your community.

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans – Lennon

Life can throw a spanner in the works at any time. When it does, there are highly skilled people ready to help and support you.

Check this site to find the people best placed to give you the care you need, whatever your age, whatever your problem.

Well Man, Well Woman Free to over 45’s

If you’re 45 or over and haven’t seen your GP in the last 3 years, it's free to have a health check.

Don’t miss this important opportunity to take control of your health and make sure you stay fit and well in the years ahead.

 

Health checks don’t take long and have proved to be highly effective and in many cases early screening has literally saved lives.
A number of problems can begin to occur in our forties that we may not even be aware of.

Some may have profound consequences in the following years. Early recognition and detection is the key to remaining healthy at this stage of life and beyond.

Important areas include:

• Blood pressure
• Heart disease
  
• Cancer prevention
  
• Lifestyle – diet, exercise, alcohol, smoking
  
• Mental health
  
• Knowledge – a little goes a long way. Make sure you know what to look for.

Be prepared

Contraception is very effective at preventing pregnancy but whichever method you choose, everyone needs to use condoms to prevent against sexually transmitted infections.

On the up

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise. Chlamydia has increased by 20% in the last 5 years, gonorrhoea by 50%. That means there’s a bigger pool of people in the community with an STI – and more chance that you could catch one.The worst of it is that you may not even know you’ve got a STI, because many people don’t have symptoms.

That doesn’t mean STIs aren’t serious.

Chlamydia is New Zealand’s commonest STI and often causes no symptoms. Untreated, it can go on to cause severe pelvic disease and infertility.

Other STIs like genital herpes can’t be cured – once you have it, you have it for life. Others, like Aids and syphilis, can be fatal.

Condoms work

Condoms are an effective way of preventing many STIs. If you’re like most people, you won’t find out about your partner’s sexual past until your relationship’s are underway. That’s too late to stop an STI.

Stay safe. Always use a condom.