Full-time rural nurse specialists provide everyday care for the Karamea community. We also hold GP clinics with visiting doctors every week.
Karamea Medical Centre offers many of the services available at larger GP clinics. However, you may need to travel for some services.
The nearest pharmacy is Buller Pharmacy in Westport.
The nearest emergency department and X-ray facilities are at Buller Integrated Health Services in Westport. Emergency patients may travel by ambulance or helicopter to Westport, Greymouth, Nelson or Christchurch.
FOR EMERGENCIES dial 111
Phone 7826 710 for general enquiries and bookings
(including after hours)
Open Hours
Monday to Friday - 9.00am to 4.00pm
Saturday & Sunday - 3.00pm to 4.00pm Drop in Clinic
Statutory Holidays - On call only
Please book a couple of weeks in advance if you are getting low on medication!
Emergency and Urgent Health Care Services
Please always dial 111 whenever there is a medical emergency or somebody’s life could be at risk.
The Karamea Health Clinic provides 24/7 emergency care. It depends on the type of emergency, which emergency care dept our patients end up in.
Cardiac patients tend to go to Nelson by helicopter. Our closest emergency dept by road is Westport. Other patients go by heli to Greymouth, Nelson or CHCH directly depending on best definitive care.
The Rural Nurse Specialists are on call 24/7 for acute care. If an urgent presentation, this will be triaged by the Rural Nurse.
Enrolments & Fees
If you are staying in Karamea for a while, we encourage you to enrol with the practice.
Enrolment is free, and means you can get cheaper healthcare when you need it.
A full list of fees for all West Coast DHB GP clinics including Karamea Medical Centre is available on the West Coast District Health Board website at https://www.wcdhb.health.nz.