Sore throat checks — rheumatic fever prevention service
Pharmacies and health centres in Greater Wellington who offer a sore throat check service.
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever is a serious but potentially preventable illness that often starts with a sore throat. Without treatment, sore throats can cause rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever can damage you heart — this is called rheumatic heart disease.
People most at risk of rheumatic fever
Māori or Pacific people aged 3 to 35 years, particularly tamariki and rangatahi aged between 4 and 19 years, are most at risk of developing rheumatic fever, especially those who:
- have a whānau or family history of rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease or both
- live in a large household or crowded house
- experience difficulties accessing primary healthcare.
If you or your tamariki or rangatahi are in any of these groups you should get a sore throat or skin infection checked every time they occur. A child can get rheumatic fever more than once.
If you are at higher risk of rheumatic fever
If you are at higher risk of developing rheumatic fever, you must check a sore throat early and get treatment for strep throat with antibiotics. Without treatment, strep throat can cause rheumatic fever, which can damage your heart.
If you are not at higher risk, rheumatic fever is extremely unlikely for you even if you have a sore throat, so you do not need a swab test.
If you feel very unwell, have a high fever, or just have questions, call:
- your healthcare provider
- Healthline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0800 611 116
Free sore throat checks
Sore throat checks are available for eligible people at participating pharmacies. This is a swab test or assessment of the throat to see if the streptococcus bacteria is causing the sore throat (strep throat).
A specially trained pharmacist will do the check. They can answer any questions you have at the time. In some cases, antibiotics are needed to treat the infection. If you need antibiotics after your throat check, the pharmacist will supply them to you. A full course of antibiotics is 10 days. It is important to take the full course of antibiotics.
Health centres that offer sore throat checks
Health centres in Greater Wellington that offer free sore throat checks.
| Health centre | Phone number | Service hours |
| Lower Hutt | ||
| Avalon Medical Centreexternal link | 04 567 7359 | 8:30am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed. |
| Connolly Street Medicalexternal link | 04 569 5601 | 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Hutt City Health Centreexternal link | 04 576 2009 | 8am to 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 8am to 8pm Wednesday. Appointment needed |
| Hutt Union Community Health Servicesexternal link | 0800 313 100 | 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Kopata Medical Centreexternal link | 04 569 9009 | 8am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Lower Hutt After Hours Medical Centreexternal link | 04 567 5345 | 5:30pm to 10pm Monday to Friday. 8am to 10pm Weekends and public holidays. |
| Manuka Health Centreexternal link | 04 939 1299 | 8:30am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Naenae Medical Centreexternal link | 04 567 1066 | 8am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Petone Medical Centreexternal link | 04 567 5345 | 8am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Soma Medical Centreexternal link | 04 569 4353 | 8am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Stokes Valley Medical Centreexternal link | 04 563 8200 | 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Whai Oranga Community Health Hubexternal link | 04 564 6966 | 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Waiwhetū Medical Centreexternal link | 0800 569 2436 | 8:30am to 5pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 10am to 5pm Tuesday. Appointment needed |
| Porirua | ||
| Mana Medical Centreexternal link | 04 233 8019 | 8am to 6pm, Monday to Thursday. 8am to 5pm, Friday. |
| Ora Toa Cannons Creek, Takapūwāhia and Waitangirua Medical Centresexternal link | 0800 672 862 | 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. |
| Pacific Health Plusexternal link | 0800 747 587 | 9am to 5:30om, Monday to Friday. |
| Plimmerton Medical Centreexternal link | 04 233 8015 | 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. |
| Porirua Union Community Health Serviceexternal link | 04 237 4207 | 8:30am to 6pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 8am to 6pm Wednesday. |
| Titahi Bay Doctorsexternal link | 04 236 8171 | 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. |
| Titahi Bay Surgeryexternal link | 04 236 8200 | 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. |
| Whitby Doctorsexternal link | 04 234 1404 | 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 8:30am to 8pm Tuesday. |
| Upper Hutt | ||
| Gain Health Centreexternal link | 04 528 5353 | 8:30am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Queen Street Medicalexternal link | 04 528 3048 | 8:30am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Upper Hutt Health Centreexternal link | 04 920 1800 | 8am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Appointment needed |
| Wellington | ||
| Linden Surgeryexternal link | 04 232 8376 | 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 8:30am to 8pm Wednesday. |
| Tawa Medical Centreexternal link | 04 232 7193 | 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. |
Pharmacies that offer sore throat checks
Pharmacies can provide sore throat checks to:
- A personal, family, or household history of rheumatic fever, or two or more of the following:
- Māori or Pacific ethnicity
- Aged 3 to 35 years, especially children and adolescents aged 4 to 19 years
- Living in crowded accommodation or a lower socio-economic area, living in high incidence areas in the North Island.
Who presents with:
- a sore throat; and
- a fever of at least 38.0C
Pharmacies will provide a free consultation and antibiotic treatment to those who are at high-risk of rheumatic fever. No appointment is required at a pharmacy clinic.