Western News: September 25, 2018

24 Tuesday September 25 2018
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
WESTERN NEWS
up-To-DaTe HeaLTH care
in an atmoSpHere of old-faSHioned cHarm
After almost three unbroken decades at
Church Corner, Riccarton Clinic continues
to provide GP services and urgent medical
care, treating thousands of patients every
year. In fact, it is the third busiest medical
facility in Christchurch.
That growth has led to them purchasing and
re-modelling a nearby residential property
into a general practice suite, which, according
to the clinic’s General Manager Mark
Darvill “is (deliberately) quite different from
our existing, purpose-built facility.” The midcentury
building, located at 20 Brake Street
is full of charm, period features and has a
calm presence.
Remodelled to be more suitable as GP
rooms, the original wallpaper and Axminster
carpeting have been retained where possible
and beautiful rimu flooring has also been
exposed and lovingly restored. To add to the
ambience, the Riccarton Clinic team have
sourced desks, beds and other items of furniture
that fit with the peaceful, period style.
Mark comments that, “it’s like stepping back
in time. The look and feel of the property
invokes a calmness and wonder in everyone
who visits.”
There are four carparks and a disabled
parking space, ramped access at the rear,
and additional parking nearby. The gardens
are beautiful with many original roses (some
over 50 years old), established camelias and
other shrubs. Indeed, the garden has even
gained a Community Board award.
The facilities at Riccarton Clinic’s Church
Corner site, which deals with both scheduled
appointments, and urgent care without
appointments between 8am and 8pm, were
purpose-built to provide health care in a
modern, clinical setting. In contrast, the GP
rooms at 20 Brake Street offer up-to-date
health care, 9am to 5pm, in an atmosphere
of old-fashioned charm.
To book an appointment at either site, or to
find out about all the services offered by the
Riccarton Clinic, visit www.riccartonclinic.
co.nz.
supporT For aLLerGY-suFFerers
in tHe garden city at laSt
The weather is already getting warmer and the days are
getting longer, but not all of us are looking forward to
the summer. For hay fever sufferers, spring and summer
can mean sore, irritated eyes; sneezing and blocked
noses; sinus infections; tiredness and poor sleep. All
that can add up to time off from school and work, and
reduced performance when sufferers do attend. When
you factor in that one out of every five New Zealanders
suffers from allergic rhinitis, that’s quite an impact.
However, help is at hand thanks to the South Island
Allergy Service which is based at Riccarton Clinic Medical
Centre at 6 Yaldhurst Road. Their team of highlyexperienced
and qualified specialists offer a technique
called desensitisation or immunotherapy, which encourages
the body to build up tolerance to whatever sparks
the allergic reaction. The first step is skin prick testing,
an almost-painless process to identify exactly which allergen
sets off your reactions. Then, the desensitisation
process begins, usually at home and as early as possible
before the hay fever season begins.
However, the Allergy Service team uses this technique
to treat many more concerns as well as hay fever. Food
allergies and intolerances are common and can be
life-threatening. Some symptoms such as hives, eczema,
nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea are obvious, but other
symptoms, especially in children, can be confused as
general eczema, reflux or colic. Testing and accurate
diagnoses can put a parents’ mind at rest, and immunotherapy
can begin a gentle process to reduce the
allergic reaction.
Other allergens can be found in the air that we breathe.
Dander from the much-loved family pet, dust mites and
mould can result in rashes, swollen eyes and asthma.
Trying to avoid these triggers is a great solution, but not
always possible, so again, accurate diagnoses will help
determine just what is the cause and what can be done
to minimise symptoms
Find out more about their services and this effective
and potentially life-changing technique at www.allergyservice.co.nz.