She is a strong advocate for promoting a healthy lifestyle to prevent illness, rather than waiting until it occurs. Rather than waiting for a patient to come to you sick, we are working with them saying let s get your cholesterol down, lower your blood pressure, let s stop you smoking, and get you on a healthy diet and exercising. The Helensburgh practice has also developed a positive living programme. Healthy living to me that s where general practice is going. While the paperwork is a battle, the on call is a breeze.
Dunedin doctors belong to a central after-hours surgery.
GPs are rostered to work roughly two eight-hour shifts every three weeks, which is not too onerous on private lives. Penny does a lot of exercise and mental relaxation. Outside training, no one can get hold of you, your mobile is at home and Dunedin is hilly so, when you get to the top of one of those hills and look down, it puts all your problems into perspective. Her next goal is the Otago Gold Rush, a three-day, 376km, multi sport event around Central Otago. She ll join a growing number of medics who have celebrated personal and competition bests in the gruelling race.