our doctors and Nurse-Practitioners

Neil Whittaker - I feel very fortunate to be part of the GBCH team. I was previously a General Practitioner in Whakatu for 26 years where I facilitated the regional General Practice Training Programme. I have an interest in the Meihana Health Care Model, teaching and continuous quality improvement. I am the proud Koro of 5 mokopuna and love spending time with them, in the bush or reading.

Rachael Cowie studied at Otago University Medical School. She has always been interested in rural health. She did the rural emergency programme which meant she spent a year of her medical training in Balclutha. Rachel has worked in rural practices in Northland and Hawks Bay. She is a member of the RNZCGP. Rachel’s special interests are minor surgery, women’s health, including jadelles, mirenas and IUDs.  In her spare time, Rachel likes the outdoors, cycling and tramping.

Morgana Woolhouse-Williams did her medical training in Dunedin, her clinical training in Christchurch and her 3 year hospital training in Christchurch and the West Coast. Morgana has a special interest in integrative medicine, mind body medicine, women’s health and paediatrics, family planning and preventative medicine. In her spare time Morgana teaches yoga and enjoys the outside adventuring with her family.

Loren McCuskey: In the short time since arriving in Golden Bay from The Netherlands, my family and I have experienced a warm welcome both at Golden Bay Community Health and in the community.

After a few years in medicine, psychiatry and in ED, including a 9 month stint in Sydney, I decided to become a GP and finished my training in 2012. In my work I feel privileged to be able to meet and interact with people and have an opportunity to help wherever I can. I love sports (baseball, tennis), the outdoors, and experiencing new places, people and cultures.

Petra Watson: Petra comes to us from Christchurch where she has been working as a GP at Mt Pleasant Medical Centre. She has also been working as an urgent care doctor at Thames Hospital and at urgent care clinics in Christchurch. She is a fully trained GP and an urgent care doctor. She will be working 4 days per week (Tuesday to Friday). She has relocated to Golden Bay with her partner and young son.

Megan Collie - Nurse Practitioner

Megan gained Nurse Practitioner status in 2020.  Megan comes from a background of predominantly emergent and rural practice with a passion for working and living in rural communities.

Megan is one of two very experienced nurse practitioners on our team and our nurse practitioners function the same as our doctors. They both have enrolled patients and participate on our 24/7 on-call system. The Ministry of health defines Nurse practitioners as… highly skilled, autonomous, health practitioner’s who have advanced education, clinical training and demonstrated competency. They have the legal authority to practice.

Out of work, Megan enjoys the multitude of activities on offer here in Golden Bay. 

Gina Mills - Nurse Practitioner

I am from the South, Te Tappuae-o-Uenuku (Tapanui) at the edge of the forest under the beautiful Blue Mountains. I am a farmer’s daughter with a passion for the provision of excellent Rural Health Care in New Zealand, with a special interest in Emergency Care. I am a proud mother of two children who are both also enjoying nursing careers.

I have a Masters of Nursing - Clinical (merit) and gained Nurse Practitioner status in 2016.

I have worked in Rural and Emergency health care for 20 years and have been a nurse for 33 years.

I worked at West Otago Health in Tapanui for 16 years in the GP practice and doing PRIME and after-hours on-call. I then spent the last 4 years at Gore Hospital working in both the Emergency Department and the GP practice.

Golden Bay provides me with a strong sense of belonginess and grounds me. It is a beautiful place to be in the world.

our practice coordinator

Sally Boixo handles the day to day running of the practice.  Should you have any concerns, Sally is the one to raise them with. We welcome suggestions regarding any improvement you believe would be beneficial to the services we offer.

our primary care nurses

Our team of Practice Nurses come from a wide range of nursing backgrounds, each bringing substantial experience to the role. We work across the areas of Primary Health nursing, Triage (assessment and facilitating treatment of urgent ‘on the day’ patients), and our dedicated urgent care beds. We provide a Tuesday morning Medical Assistant clinic at Collingwood.

PRIME (Primary Response in Medical Emergencies) training is a requirement for our role. Our Nurses are all independent vaccinators, most are smear takers, and some have extra experience in diabetes, sexual health, cardio-vascular disease, travel medicine, and spirometry testing (lung function assessment). Along with the Well-Child Nurses, one of our Practice Nurses offers B4 School Checks, a free health and development check for 4 year old’s.

OUR MEDICAL ASSISTANTS

Our role at Golden Bay Community Health is that of Medical Assistant. You will see us in varying roles in Primary Care. We have been trained to do blood tests, ECG, patient observation, venesection, plaster casting, assist with minor surgery and basic wound care and to assist the GP or nurse as requested.

Reception/Administration team

Our receptionist team are the first point of contact you will have with us when you phone or come in to see us. They manage our busy front desk and waiting room, expertly handling all queries relating to appointments and repeat prescriptions as well as directing people to the other parts of our facility. 

All of our receptionist’s work part time, so you are only likely to meet them all if you visit the practice on different days each visit.  Our team members are Abbie, Emma, Jo-Anna, Kate, Lisa, May, Lisa, Pippa and Simon.