|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
“When your child is sick at 10pm, the last thing you want to do is wait until 8am and hope you can get through on the phones.”
It’s a familiar scenario for Franklin parents – the midnight temperature, the rashy skin, the ear that won’t settle. At Pukekohe Family Health Care, the Little Feet Clinic is changing how tamariki (children) get seen.
Led by nurse practitioners Nicola Fair and Jacqui Lawless, the clinic runs on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday (afternoons), and Friday. Appointments open at 6pm the night before – parents can book a spot before the kids are in bed.
More than a nurse – and that’s saying something
Nurse practitioners hold a master’s degree and years of specialist training, qualifying them to independently diagnose, prescribe, and treat. They’re primary healthcare providers in their own right – not assistants to a GP.
For Little Feet, that means coughs, colds, fevers, ear and skin conditions, asthma, specialist referrals, and developmental concerns – all under one roof. And for children aged 0-14, it’s completely free.
Specialist experience, right here in Pukekohe
What sets Nicola and Jacqui apart is where they trained. Both bring hands–on experience from Starship Children’s Hospital and Middlemore’s Kidz First – two of New Zealand’s busiest specialist children’s facilities. That depth of paediatric experience in a community practice is genuinely rare.
“I love working with tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau, and providing holistic care for the whole family – not just the patient,” Jacqui says.
“We see children with acute conditions like colds, skin infections and injuries, and we help families manage chronic conditions like asthma and eczema. I wish people knew how much work goes into becoming a Nurse Practitioner – we hold advanced master’s degrees, and we work alongside other healthcare professionals to make sure you and your child are well cared for.”
Nicola says primary healthcare is the ultimate form of family–centred care.
“Beyond treating the sick child, we get to know the family – the carers, the key whānau members – and work in partnership with them. Alongside acute care for childhood illnesses, we support families through chronic conditions and developmental concerns. Two decades in paediatric emergency care and extensive postgraduate study prepared me for the privilege of caring for our littlest patients.”
Many families still default to asking for a GP, not realising a Nurse Practitioner can provide the same care, often sooner. At Pukekohe Family Health Care, the goal is simple: when your child needs to be seen, they get seen.
Little Feet Clinic at a glance
Who: Children up to 14 years
When: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday (afternoons) and Friday
Book: Online via the Patient Portal from 6pm the evening prior, or call 09 237 0280
Cost: Free for ages 0–14 years
Location: 10 West Street, Pukekohe
