Fifth Ave Family Practice Tauranga: GP Services, Hours & Fees

Fifth Avenue Family Practice has operated in Tauranga since before the internet existed—over 75 years of continuous service, with patients now bringing their grandchildren to the same spot near the CBD. The dual-site GP practice weaves on-site pharmacy, Saturday acute clinic, virtual options, and twelve doctors with niche interests into the Bay of Plenty health system.

Years serving Tauranga: Over 75 · Practice sites: Two (main and 5th Ave on 10th) · Weekday hours: 8am–6pm · Saturday acute clinic: 8:30am–11:30am · Booking options: Online and virtual consults

What services are covered under primary care?

Fifth Avenue Family Practice offers a broad range of primary care under one roof. Core services include general consultations, immunizations, and minor procedures, alongside a suite of specialized clinics: Women’s Health, Weight Loss, Travel, Ear Suctioning for wax removal, Acute Clinic (daily), and Respiratory Clinic (daily). The practice describes its model as able to handle both routine appointments and emergency or acute care situations (Healthpoint – Medical Directory). At the main Fifth Avenue site, an on-site pharmacy means patients can collect prescriptions immediately after their consult. The secondary site at Promed House has adjacent physiotherapy and X-ray facilities (Healthpoint – Medical Directory), which removes the friction of separate referrals for imaging or rehab. Rounding out the offering, HIP (Health Improvement Practitioner) and Health Coach services are available, addressing the mental and behavioural side of chronic disease management (WBOP PHO – Official Listing). The staff complement is substantial: five associate General Practitioners and twelve doctors with special interests (Healthpoint – Medical Directory), which means most common conditions can be assessed by someone with relevant niche experience rather than a general referral.

The implication: having physio and imaging a few floors down from your GP cuts the referral lag for musculoskeletal and orthopaedic cases.

How much does out of hours GP cost?

Out-of-hours care is a line item that catches many patients off guard. Fifth Avenue Family Practice itself is closed on public holidays and after 6pm on weekdays, but it has built in extended access through Practice Plus — a telehealth service covering weekday evenings until 10pm and weekends and public holidays from 8am to 8pm (Healthpoint – Medical Directory). Practice Plus consultations for enrolled patients range roughly $42–$55 on weekends and public holidays (Healthpoint – Medical Directory), versus $30–$85 at the walk-in urgent care alternative, Accident and HealthCare (Healthpoint – Medical Directory). Accident and HealthCare is the practice’s stated preferred urgent care out of hours (Healthpoint – Medical Directory). During standard weekday hours, enrolled patient fees without a Community Services Card range from $32 for ages 14–17 up to $60 for ages 25 and over (WBOP PHO – Official Listing). With a Community Services Card, those same age brackets drop to $13 and $19.50 respectively (Healthpoint – Medical Directory). Children under 14 pay $0 regardless of CSC status (WBOP PHO – Official Listing). These fees apply consistently at both the Fifth Avenue and Promed House sites (WBOP PHO – Fifth Ave on 10th).

What are red flags for doctors?

Choosing a GP is not just about credentials; it is about the relationship dynamic over months and years. Twelve warning signs commonly cited for firing a doctor include dismissive communication, ignoring patient history, failing to follow up on test results, refusing referrals when warranted, and refusing to discuss treatment options openly. For Tauranga patients who may have been with the same practice for decades, switching doctors mid-stream can feel awkward — but Fifth Avenue’s twelve-doctor roster means there is often an alternative at the same site without changing practices entirely. The practice explicitly notes it offers both routine and emergency care (Healthpoint – Medical Directory), so continuity of records stays intact even if the patient-doctor pairing changes internally. One gap to note: no compiled patient reviews were found across available directories (Healthpoint – Medical Directory), so word-of-mouth and direct familiarity remain the primary trust-building tools for new enrollees.

The pattern: the practice’s size gives patients room to self-select within the same site rather than chasing a different practice entirely.

What are the most common conditions in primary care?

Globally, primary care handles a consistent top-five list: hypertension (high blood pressure), upper respiratory infections, diabetes management, anxiety and depression, and back pain. For Tauranga specifically, the Bay of Plenty region has an aging population profile that skews the burden toward cardiovascular and metabolic conditions — which means a practice serving the community for over 75 years (Healthpoint – Medical Directory) has accumulated deep experience managing exactly these long-term, chronic patterns. Fifth Avenue’s specialist offerings — Women’s Health Clinic, Weight Loss Clinic, and Health Coach services — reflect this demographic reality by building in preventive and lifestyle-intervention streams alongside reactive care.

The implication: chronic disease management sits at the intersection of what Fifth Avenue does best and what Tauranga demographics demand.

Are over 70 entitled to a free GP visit card?

New Zealand’s publicly funded healthcare system layers entitlements by age and subsidy status. Patients aged 14 and under with a valid NHI number receive free standard consultations regardless of Community Services Card (CSC) status (WBOP PHO – Official Listing). For seniors, the Community Services Card becomes the primary subsidy mechanism — it reduces the 18+ enrolled patient fee from $60 to $19.50 (Healthpoint – Medical Directory). Eligibility for a CSC in New Zealand is income-tested and also applies to Superannuation recipients, which means most people over 65 will qualify automatically once enrolled. Fifth Avenue Family Practice is part of the Western Bay of Plenty PHO (WBOP PHO – Official Listing), meaning the subsidy framework flows directly through the practice’s billing system — patients do not need to claim back separately. The practical takeaway for a couple in their seventies looking at Fifth Avenue: if at least one partner qualifies for CSC, the household’s annual GP spend drops meaningfully. Those without CSC pay the full enrolled rate of $60 per visit.

The practice is one of the longest established in Tauranga, having served the community for over 75 years. — Healthpoint – Medical Directory

We offer a wide range of services and are able to offer both routine appointments and also emergency or acute care. — Healthpoint – Medical Directory

Related reading: Raukura Hauora o Tainui – Waikato Māori Health Clinics Guide · Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village – Christchurch Care Guide

New Zealand families can compare Fifth Ave’s offerings with those at The Doctors Ti Rakau in Auckland, which provides similar comprehensive primary care and Saturday clinics.

Frequently asked questions