Kaipara Medical Centre is pleased to be able to offer a new service aimed at improving access to long-acting reversible contraception, some times referred to as LARCs. 

These include copper coils, IUDs, Mirena and jadelles (subdermal implants). 

The service is available to anyone in Auckland and Waitemata DHBs regardless of whether they are enrolled with Kaipara Medical Centre or not.

Any woman deemed at risk of an unplanned pregnancy is eligible for a free consultation about getting a LARC fitted. It's also free to Māori and Pacific Island women and those with a Community Services Card. 

Kaipara Medical Centre will be working with the Helensville Birthing Centre, Te Ha Oranga and Kindred Family Services (formerly the Helensville Women and Family Centre) and the local mental health team to let as many of their clients know about the service as possible, but women are also able to self-refer.

Dr Kathryn Elcock is the Kaipara Medical Centre's specialist provider of this LARC service and has fitted hundreds of devices over her career.  

"I understand that women may be anxious about the procedure, but it's fairly routine and while there's a little discomfort, it offers such great peace of mind as the contraceptive can last between 5-10 years and it's completely reversible, so when the time is right to start a family, the device is taken out with no long-lasting effect to your ability to get pregnant," says Dr Elcock. 

Julie is a Kaipara Medical Centre patient who had a Jadelle inserted as part of the LARC service and she says she'd happily recommend it, "My periods were all over the place and I was shocking at remembering to take tablets and the three monthly appointments for a depo injection was annoying, so the Jadelle is awesome because it'll last 4-5 years and it's free."

Dr Elcock says an initial consultation will be done over the phone or in-person for free, "with absolutely no pressure to have a LARC fitted, it's more about letting women know their options". If the woman chooses to go ahead another appointment will be set up to have the device inserted and it'll cost only $5 for a prescription fee to get the device from the pharmacy.  

For more information about long access reversible contraception (LARCs) please visit the following websites:

https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/health-a-z/c/contraception-topics/

https://www.familyplanning.org.nz/advice/contraception

Dr Elcock intends to set up a dedicated contraception clinic on Wednesday afternoon, early evening to ensure regular easy access for women.

To book into the clinic, please phone the Kaipara Medical Centre on 09 420 8400.