Tonight’s Good Sort is Dr Warren Nicholls, a retired GP from Feilding who never quite stopped being a doctor.
Rather than retiring quietly, Dr Nicholls took his skills on the road as part of a mobile medical service aimed at increasing access to healthcare, especially in rural areas.
The caravan, known as the GLOB (Get Lots Of Benefits), parks up in places like Feilding.
There are no appointments needed – people just show up, provide their details, are seen by nurses, and then by Nicholls himself.
Together, the team checks basic information like weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels.
“There’s a huge need for it,” Dr Nicholls said.
The service began with local farmer Dean Williamson, who wanted farmers to get more than their tractor checked up.
“To be able to book a health check in with the doctor, you’re looking at four or five weeks in advance and goodness knows what the weather’s going to be like or what they’re going to be doing on farming,” Williamson said.
Now Dr Nicholls, with help from Lions Club members, runs the service full-time.
“I’ve signed a thousand death certificates but I’ve also delivered a thousand babies, so the ledger of life is balanced,” he said.
One caravan has now turned into a three and they’ve seen over a thousand patients.
He said one in four patients need further help.
“We’ve got a person who’s probably a diabetic with a sugar of 12 and they don’t know it.”
A mental health survey always finishes the visit.
It’s always free — and for many, it’s their first doctor’s visit in years.
“I haven’t retired yet,” Dr Nicholls said.
“I think GPs just fade away.”
Now 78, he wants to expand his operation into Northland.
“It’s become my glorious obsession now.”
