Sometimes you need to see a doctor or nurse without anyone knowing about it.

Doctors and practice nurses are trained to keep things confidential. But if you are worried you can always ask them about confidentiality before you talk to them in detail about your concerns and needs.

If you really don’t want to see your family doctor, a new scheme being trialled that gives you the option to see any GP or nurse – no questions asked.

It’s called “It’s Confidential” and it’s only available in Nelson and Tasman. It works like this:

• Choose a GP or nurse you’d like to go to.
• Phone for an appointment and tell them it’s part of It’s Confidential
• When you see the GP or nurse ask them to reassure you about privacy
• It is best to pay for your consultation at the time, but if you have difficulty the doctor or nurse will be happy to discuss other arrangements. They are usually aware not to send accounts to your home address but remember to mention this if it’s important.
• Note that some GPs may charge a little more than the standard consultation fee for patients not registered with their practice.
  So if you are using the It's Confidential scheme ring first to check what the costs are.

If you’re not in Nelson or Tasman, and you’re worried about something you’d like to keep confidential, you can always ask to speak to the nurse instead of the doctor.

And don’t forget if you need to ask a doctor a confidential question you can email the .

If you’ve taken part in ‘It’s Confidential’ we’d like to hear your thoughts on how it worked for you, or any suggestions for improving it. Click here to .