From left: Dr Jonathan Cook, Dr Peter Vogts, Dr David Peiser, Dr Piero Jonck and Dr Len de Kramer.
The Howick Medical Centre Doctors has come a long way over the course of the last 33 years. A passionate group of doctors, we continue to serve the Howick and greater Midlands community with care and compassion.
We celebrated a new milestone in our journey with the official opening of our new consulting rooms in Howick on August 1, 2023. Thirty-three years ago, Dr David Peiser moved to The White House Centre in Howick, from Manguzi in Northern KwaZulu-Natal. He was joined by Dr Robin Stevenson and his son Chris, and then by long-time friend Dr Peter Vogts. Dr Mark Stead joined Drs Peiser and Vogts in 1993 and then Dr Frank Berry became a part of the team.
Howick has been blessed by excellent doctors in the past, with the late Dr John Hyslop being the biggest driver of healthcare in the town. He was much loved in Howick and it was in early 2002 when his vision was realised and a community hospital was built in the town.
In 2005, Dr Peiser and Associates moved to the Howick Medical Centre (where they are currently situated) and joined forces with Dr Jonathan Cook. Dr Piero Jonck joined the practice a year later in 2006. In 2018, Dr Len de Kramer joined the practice and together they formed the Howick Medical Centre Doctors practice.
Six general practitioners, with various special interests, ranging from diabetes to travel medicine, family medicine, and a large economic clinic, soon meant that there was a shortage of space in the existing facility. This was solved in 2023 with the expansion into the new facility. The new rooms boast state-of-the-art facilities and are a source of pride for all who work there. There are six consulting rooms, which are fully equipped with the necessary tools, and side room facilities for patients. Four minor theatres allow the team to deal with general practice procedures and trauma cases.
There is also a dedicated resuscitation room equipped with a state-of-the-art defibrillator, oxygen and ECG monitoring to ensure a rapid and effective response to emergencies. In addition, the rooms offer patients lung function tests, standard and stress ECGs, diabetic monitoring, ultrasound facilities and a travel clinic licensed to dispense Yellow Fever vaccines. They also have a fundoscope for easy detection of systemic diseases.
The nurse’s clinic has four full-time registered nurses on stand-by. All our nurses have diplomas in wound care and are well trained in paediatric and adult vaccinations.
Dr Sam Lindsay, a local GP, runs our female health clinic on Thursday afternoons. Dr Shaun Nischk, has recently joined forces with the HMCD. We are excited to have him among our ranks as his caring nature and brilliant work ethic have proved invaluable to our practice.
The future looks bright for healthcare in Howick and the Howick Medical Centre Doctors are proud to celebrate this growth.