The newest member of the WBOP PHO network is Epic Health, an integrative general practice based at 67 Willow Street in Tauranga’s CBD.
Dr Emma Stanley moved to Tauranga with her family in 2013 and is known to many through her work at Accident and Healthcare on Second Ave, City Centre Medical and Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support (formerly BOPSASS).
She is a specialist registrar in musculoskeletal medicine and was working as a private family physician before joining the WBOP PHO general practice network.
Epic Health integrates with Health Quarters, a co-located multi-disciplinary team of professionals including personal trainers, physiotherapists, osteopath, psychologists, exercise physiologist, movement therapist and nutrition coaches.
“I’ve always been keen to set up an integrative GP practice so collaborating with Health Quarters was an opportunity to plug into a high-quality team that was already operating,” says Emma.
Epic Health includes a nursing team lead by Louise Snow and management team including practice manager Wendy Sharplin, business and systems analyst Guru Muthu, and patient advice and liaison service (PALS) officer Heather Carter.
During the COVID-19 lockdown Emma worked at CBAC and collaborated with the Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi Trust to help provide medical input for Tauranga’s homeless community.
“It was a military-style emergency response, providing health checks using physical distancing and telephone consultations to help these folks get to a place of safety. It was a huge privilege to work alongside the Ngāi Te Rangi team and coordinate with mental health professionals, social workers and police in a team approach.”
She now works with the Trust’s HbU (How ‘bout You) service, providing free healthcare for rangatahi (youth) and their whānau up to four nights a week in vulnerable communities throughout the Western Bay of Plenty.
Pictured: Dr Emma Stanley, back right, is joined by analyst Guru Muthu, Health Quarters owner Diego Rosenberg, practice manager Wendy Sharplin, and her trusty friend ‘Fred’ who she brought with her from the UK.