Be sensible in the sun

(Inside Aotea, February 2012)

Karen Wood, chief executive

As we head into the last weeks of summer, please take care in the sun and ensure you and your children are protected from the harmful rays of the unforgiving sun.

Hats and clothing are always more reliable protection than sun block creams, in that they save you having to remember when to next apply the sun block.

But! ... it is also important you do absorb some of the rays as they are our main source of vitamin D. Vitamin D is very important for helping give us strong bones and protecting us from a wide range of diseases.

Children, for example, who don’t get enough of it, can develop rickets whichwill give them weak and bowed legs.

We have some good tips in  this edition on how to ensure you and your family get enough vitamin D. Please take some time to read and think about them.

I'm really looking forward to the rest of the year. We are working on projects to make your visits to us easier and more pleasant.

We are continuing the upgrades of our collection rooms. Upper Hutt and Karori are the two latest areas to get new rooms. They are newly open this month and our staff have said that patients appreciate their new and comfortable surroundings.

We are also continuing our roll-out of the eLab software. eLab lets your doctor enter your tests directly into our system and so cuts down on error. All you will have to remember to do is bring in the barcoded form that your doctor gives you.

We scan the barcode and this automatically opens your doctor’s test request. The form also gives you important information on when and where to have your test, our opening hours and any special preparation required.

We rolled out the first eLab systems in the Kapiti area late last year and are now moving into the Hutt Valley and then down to Wellington. We hope to have practices all set up by the middle of the year. Your doctor will let you know when eLab is installed in your area.

Enjoy the rest of the summer and take care in the sun.