Contact the general practice you want to join by phone, email, or in person. They will help you with each step. Registering with the doctor or general practice is easy and involves filling out a form or two and supplying any other documents they ask for. These forms include a declaration of entitlement and eligibility and an agreement to the registration process.

Joining a general practice is your choice! Many people do it to access the benefits of being part of a Primary Health Organisation (PHO). These benefits include cheaper doctor’s visits and access to free or subsidised health and wellness programmes and services.

Most general practices in New Zealand are part of a Primary Health Organisation (PHO). Te Whatu Ora contracts them to provide primary health care in the community. When you register with a general practice, medical centre, or doctor’s office, you also join the PHO it is part of. This gives you access to the benefits offered by the PHO.

Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation (WBOP PHO) is a special partnership between Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāi Te Rangi iwi, and Providers Inc. This group includes doctor’s offices and other health services for podiatry, asthma, hauora, and mental health. We offer many free and subsidised health programmes to help the community enjoy better health and well-being.

These programmes include mental health support, health coaches, health improvement practitioners, quit-smoking coaches, diabetes management, and dietary services. Check out our services!

Yes, registering with a general practice is free for you and your whānau.

Most people can register with a general practice. To be fully eligible, you must live permanently in New Zealand and meet ONE of the following criteria:

1. Be a New Zealand citizen (including people from the Cook Islands, Niue, or Tokelau).
2. Have a resident visa or a permanent resident visa (or a residence permit if issued before December 2010).
3. Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident and have been in New Zealand, or plan to stay in New Zealand, for at least 2 years in a row.
4. Have a current work visa and can show that you can stay in New Zealand for at least 2 years (including previous permits).
5. Be an interim visa holder who was eligible right before their interim visa started.
6. Be a refugee or protected person, or be in the process of applying for, or appealing for, refugee or protection status, or be a victim or suspected victim of people trafficking.
7. Be under 18 years old and in the care of a parent or guardian who meets one of the criteria in a–f above.
8. Be a NZ Aid Programme student studying in New Zealand and getting Official Development Assistance funding (or their partner or child under 18 years old).
9. Be part of the Ministry of Education Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship scheme.
10. Be a Commonwealth Scholarship holder studying in New Zealand and getting funding from a New Zealand university under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Fund.

No, you can only register with one general practice at a time. If you wish to change practices, you can transfer to another practice, but you will only be registered with one GP practice at a time.

Follow the 3 steps to enrol. Your newly chosen general practice will obtain your medical history from your earlier provider.

Please note. Some GP practices have policies about switching based on your circumstances.

Visit our GP practices page for more details on each practice.

Eligible patients can ask for a Community Services Card (CSC) or High Use Health Card (HUHC) to help lower the cost of medical appointments. These cards give discounts on different healthcare services, such as lower fees for doctor visits, prescription medications, after-hours appointments, and more.

Find out more about health benefit cards.

The information you provide when you register with the doctor or GP practice may be accessed by some of our staff, the team at your chosen doctor's office, and Hospital Emergency Department doctors may see your GP Practice registration information.

We also share your registration details with the Ministry of Health to get funding to help pay for your visits to your doctor's office. The Ministry uses this information to check that you are not registered with more than one doctor's office and to confirm that you are eligible to register.

Understanding ethnicity helps us address health disparities. Our goal is to make sure everyone in the community can access healthcare services.