Te Whare Hauora
Health Centre
Ara’s Wellness Centre provides professional, confidential wellbeing support for Ara learners.
A change to our services
Ara’s centre for wellness no longer provides GP services.
Following the retirement of our GP, we carried out an extensive search for a replacement but were unable to recruit one in the current healthcare environment.
While GP services are no longer available on campus, students can still access a wide range of health and wellbeing support through the centre. If you need a GP, we'll help connect you with an appropriate external healthcare provider.
Whether you're dealing with a health concern, feeling overwhelmed, need someone to talk to or aren't sure where to go for help, our team is here to support you.
Services include:
- nursing assessments and health advice
- counselling
- social work support
- mental health assessments
- sexual health services and cervical screening
- vaccinations
- ACC and wound care
- nurse certificates for illness-related absences
- referrals to external health providers when needed
Ara’s centre for wellness offers a range of free and low-cost health and wellbeing services for Ara students. Our team works together to support your physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing throughout your study journey. These include consultations with nurses, a social worker and counsellors. Students can access free counselling sessions. We take Community Service cards and offer ACC appointments.
All services are available at the City campus, while nurse consultations are available at the Woolston campus on Wednesdays and Fridays. The social worker is available at the Woolston campus on Tuesdays and at the city campus the rest of the week.
Please note: Ara Health Centre is not an emergency care provider. Please seek care at an appropriate Urgent Care Centre such as:
- Moorhouse Medical Centre - 3657900
- Riccarton Clinic - 3433661
- 24 Hour Surgery -365777
- Emergency Department – Ambulance – 111
Need support? Call (03) 940 7566 or email healthcentre@ara.ac.nz and we'll help you find the right service.
Our nurses provide assessment, advice and support for minor illnesses and injuries, mental health concerns, sexual health, cervical screening, vaccinations, blood pressure checks and other non-emergency health needs.
Our nursing services at the City campus in Christchurch are confidential and available to both students and staff. This is appointments mainly but do offer drop-ins.
To see a nurse come to the Health Centre. Depending on demand on the day, you may need to wait for a drop-in session time. If you prefer, you can also book an appointment by either phoning us or coming into the Health Centre reception.
Our social worker can help with practical challenges affecting your study, including housing, finances, accessing community services and other wellbeing concerns.
Our social worker is available:
- City - Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Health Centre and Tuesdays at the Woolston campus (room VF109)
- Southern Campuses – Monday to Wednesday ( * based at Timaru, Room TA208a, level 2)
The social workers can assist with:
- Financial support
- Housing support
- Risk assessment and psychosocial assessment
- Connecting to appropriate external support services
- Work and income and student link support
- Mental health support
- Relationship conflicts
- Domestic violence
- Addiction support
- Achieving study/life balance (self-care)
- Support to ensure access to adequate services and resources within the community
- Support to enhance support systems and connection
- Support all learners from all backgrounds and cultures
- Specific support for Māori, Pacific and disabled learners to ensure equitable access to resources, services and opportunities
- Liaison with lecturers to ensure learners’ needs are being met in the classroom
- Classroom visits and workshops
To make an appointment for City campuses, call 940 7566 or email healthcentre@ara.ac.nz.
For Southern Campuses, please contact the social worker directly: 021 2802 825
Free confidential counselling is available to help with stress, anxiety, study pressures, relationships, grief and other personal challenges.
We are committed to support the learner's psychological health and wellbeing. Sometimes learners need longer-term psychological support requiring referral to external agencies.
Counselling is available every day at the Health Centre.
How to make an appointment
Contact the Health Centre directly
Phone: 03 940 7566
Email: healthcentre@ara.ac.nz
Prices are subject to change
Nurse Consultation
|
Enrolled patient |
$25 |
|
International student |
$40 |
|
Non-enrolled patient |
$30 |
|
Ara staff or other |
$35 |
|
Sexual health consult (under 18 enrolled patients only) |
FREE * |
|
Blood Test |
$10 |
|
Blood Pressure |
$10 |
*Conditions apply, please discuss with the receptionist on booking.
Counselling
|
Learners can access three FREE counselling sessions to talk about any personal issues. |
FREE |
Repeat Scripts
|
Enrolled patient |
$20 |
|
Non-enrolled patient |
$25 |
|
Ara staff or other |
$40 |
ACC
|
Onsite injury |
FREE |
|
NOT Onsite injury |
$25 |
|
Susan Health Centre Manager/ Registered nurse |
 |
Lisa |
 |
Charlotte |
 |
Quin |
 |
Lynda Counsellor |
 |
Diana |
 |
Vicki Administrator |
The centre does NOT provide:
- GP consultations
- prescriptions
- ongoing primary healthcare
- emergency medical care
For emergencies, call 111.
As the centre no longer has a doctor on site, prescribing services and referrals for laboratory testing are no longer available.
The centre remains unable to provide emergency or urgent medical care. Please do NOT attend the centre for conditions such as:
- asthma attacks
- chest pain
- severe allergic reactions
- acute abdominal pain
- collapse
- seizures
- fainting episodes
- or any other urgent health concerns requiring immediate assessment or treatment.
Please note that Ara Health Centre is accessing healthcare information from HealthOne.
What is HealthOne?
HealthOne is a South Island based secure electronic record that allows registered healthcare providers directly involved in your healthcare, to quickly access information such as your test results, allergies, medications, GP summaries and hospital information. HealthOne adheres to the principles of the Privacy Act 2020 as well as the Rules set out in the Health Information Privacy Code 2020. Access is only possible via an approved highly secure healthcare information network which is regularly audited and tested. Privacy auditing is used to check that only those directly involved in your care are accessing your information. To find out more about HealthOne please visit https://healthone.org.nz/. Please note that you are entitled to restrict the sharing of your healthcare records by contacting 0508 837 872 or emailing HealthOne.privacy@pegasus.health.nz
Location
Whareora, City campus, Madras Street
Contact
Phone (03) 940 7566
Fax (03) 940 8680
Email healthcentre@ara.ac.nz
Hours
- Monday to Thursday - 9am to 4pm
- Friday - 9am to 3pm
Service availability
- Nurses: Monday to Friday
- Counsellors: Monday to Friday
- Social Workers: Monday to Friday
Key resources
- 1737 - Need to Talk?
- Healthline | Ministry of Health NZ
- Pegasus Health - 24 Hour Surgery
- HealthInfo Canterbury
- Health Information and Services