To help prevent rheumatic fever, free Sore Throat clinics are available at several Hutt Valley General Practices and Pharmacies.
About Rheumatic Fever
Rheumatic fever starts with a sore throat that is known as ‘strep throat’ – a throat infection caused by a bacteria called Group A Streptococcus.
Rheumatic fever is a serious but preventable illness. It mainly affects Māori and Pacific children and young people aged 4 to 19, especially if they have other family members who have had rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever starts with a sore throat called a strep throat– a throat infection caused by a bacteria called Group A Streptococcus.
Most strep throats get better and don’t lead to rheumatic fever. However, in a small number of people, an untreated strep throat develops into rheumatic fever, where their heart, joints (elbows and knees), brain and skin become inflamed and swollen.
Who can get a free sore throat check?
These free services are available to people at High Risk of developing rheumatic fever. This High-Risk group are:
- Māori and Pacific children, youth and young adults, aged 4 to 19 years who normally live the Hutt Valley and are enrolled in a general practice in the Hutt Valley
- Anyone else aged 4 to 19 years with a family history of rheumatic fever who is living in the Hutt Valley
- Low socioeconomic areas of the Hutt Valley or are living in crowded circumstances
You can go to your normal doctor or nurse to get a sore throat checked but you may have to pay a fee. You should phone your usual doctor and check.
What does the service provide?
A nurse or pharmacist will check your child’s sore throat, take their temperature and note other symptoms like a cough or runny nose.
Your child will be offered antibiotic treatment if their symptoms indicate a strep throat infection rather than a cold. Children/young adults with a sore throat caused by a cold usually have a cough, hoarseness, red eyes, and runny nose (usually not seen with strep throat). For this reason these children/young adults will not be offered antibiotic treatment.
Where are the free sore throat clinics?
as at November 2019
| Provider | Address | Hours |
| After Hours Medical Centre | 729 High Street, Lower Hutt | Monday to Friday | 6.00pm to 11.00pm Saturday and Sunday | 8.00am to 11.00 pm |
| Epuni Medical Centre | 102 Oxford Terrace, Lower Hutt | Monday to Friday | 8.30am to 5.00 pm (appt necessary) |
| High Street Health hub | 577 High Street, Lower Hutt | Monday to Friday |8.00am to 6.00pm |
| Hutt City Health Centre | 5 Raroa Road, Lower Hutt | Monday to Thursday | 8.00am to 7.00pm Friday | 8.00am to 6.00pm (appt necessary) |
| Hutt City Wainuiomata | 5 Fitzherbert Road, Wainuiomata | Monday to Friday | 8.00am to 5.30pm (appt necessary) |
| Hutt Union Community Health Services Pomare Petone Taita | 51 Farmer Crescent, Taita 451 Jackson Street, Petone 1205 High Street, Lower Hutt |
Monday to Friday l 9.00am to 5.00pm (appt necessary) |
| Naenae Medical Centre | 39 Treadwell Street, Naenae | Monday to Friday | 8.30am to 5.00pm (appt necessary) |
| Stokes Valley Medical Centre | 180 Stokes Valley Road, Stokes Valley | Monday to Friday | 9.00am to 5.30pm (appt necessary) |
| Upper Hutt Health Centre (Acute after hours service) |
Queen Street, Upper Hutt | Monday to Friday l 8.00am to 8.00pm Saturday and Sunday l 9.00am to 1pm, 2.00pm to 6.00pm (appt necessary) |
| Whai Oranga Health Centre | 7 The Strand, Wainuiomata | Monday to Friday | 8.30am to 5.00pm (appt necessary) |
| Clives’s Chemist | 20-21 Queen St, Wainuiomata | Monday to Thursday |9.00am to 5.30pm Friday | 9.00am to 6.00pm Saturday | 9.00am to 2.00pm |
| Life Pharmacy Queensgate | Queensgate Mall Lower Hutt |
Monday to Wednesday I 8.30am to 6.00pm Thursday to Friday I 8.30pm to 9.00pm Saturday I 9.00am to 6.00pm Sunday I 10.00am to 5.30pm |
| Moera Pharmacy | 139 Randwick Road Lower Hutt |
Monday to Friday | 9.00am to 5.30pm Saturday | 9.30am to 12.30pm |
| Naenae Pharmacy | 29 Hillary Court, Naenae |
Monday to Friday |8.30am to 6.00pm Saturday | 9.00am to 1.00pm |
| Taita Pharmacy | 1206 High Street, Lower Hutt |
Monday to Friday |8.30am to 5.30pm Saturday | 9.30am to 12.30pm |
| Unichem Maidstone Pharmacy | 53 Main Street, Upper Hutt |
Monday to Friday | 8.00am to 7.00pm Saturday and Sunday | 9.00am to 4.00pm |
| Unichem Owles Pharmacy | 45 Everest Avenue Naenae |
Monday to Friday |8.30am to 6.00pm Saturday | 9.00am to 1.00pm |
| Unichem Petone Pharmacy | 240 Jackson Street, Petone |
Monday to Wednesday I 8.30am to 5.30pm Thursday to Friday I 8.30pm to 6.00pm Saturday to Sunday I 9.00am to 3.00pm |
| Unichem Upper Hutt Pharmacy | 723 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt |
Monday to Friday | 8.30am to 6.30pm Saturday and Sunday | 9.00am to 5.00pm |
| Wainuiomata Pharmacy | 8 The Strand, Wainuiomata | Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday | 8.30am to 5.30pm Wednesday | 8.30am to 6.30pm Saturday | 9.00am to 4.00pm Sunday | 10.00am to 4.00pm |
| Waterloo Pharmacy | 1 Trafalgar Square Waterloo |
Monday to Friday | 8.30am to 5.30pm Saturday | 9.00am to 12.00pm |
| Woburn Pharmacy | 66 Whites Line East Waiwhetu |
Monday to Friday I 9.00am to 5.30pm Saturday I 9.30am to 12.00pm |
More information
For more information about the service contact:
Clinical Programmes Facilitator
Phone:04 5665320
Email: [email protected]
For more information about Rheumatic Fever:
Go to the Ministry of Health website Rheumatic Fever