Meet Our Team
We are a caring and professional healthcare team for you and your family
Nursing Team
Our nurses have a large number of skills and they are able to provide a wide variety of services. They work alongside the doctors to provide education and support for long term conditions, acute care and injury management. We have nurses that specialise in diabetes and heart failure management, travel medicine and sleep assessment. This is alongside the provision of well-child checks, vaccinations, dressings and fracture management.
Reception Team
We have a team of friendly and approachable receptionists who can assist you with bookings and any payment enquiries you may have. They can also provide you with additional information about the practice if it is required.
Rachael Pickles
Practice Manager
Rachael has a background in nursing and health funding, having previously worked for the Waitaha PHO. Rachael has lived in the Waimakariri district for the last 10 years and enjoys all aspects of the rural lifestyle. Rachael is available to discuss any concerns regarding the practice systems, customer service, quality assurance, accounts or any other issues you may wish to raise.
Dr Nigel Tapper
MBChB, FRNZCGP, Dip Obs, Dip Sports Medicine
One of the directors of Medical Corner Doctors, Nigel graduated from Otago University in 1981 and has been a GP in Rangiora for over 30 years. He has varied interests as a GP but he still really enjoys looking after families. He has special interests in sports medicine, travel medicine and men’s health. He is involved in the management of Medical Corner Doctors.
Nigel is a keen sportsman and sports watcher. His interests apart from his family, are rugby, cricket, tennis, golf, cycling, tramping, boating, fishing, bridge and travel. There is always plenty to chat about during a consultation!
NIGEL’S CONSULTING HOURS
Monday 9am – 12noon | Tuesday 9am – 3:30pm | Thursday 9am – 5pm | Friday 9am – 12noon
Dr Amanda Torkington
MBBS; FRNZCGP; BSC.( Physiology and Pharmacology).
Amanda grew up in Queensland, Australia, and completed her medical degree at the University of Queensland in 2003. She completed her rural GP training in North Queensland, before moving to Rangiora and commencing work at Medical Corner Doctors in 2011. She is interested in all aspects of general practice and family medicine. She also enjoys teaching and is actively involved in small group learning with GP colleagues. Amanda is taking on new patients.
AMANDA’S CONSULTING HOURS
Monday & Friday 9:30am – 4pm | Wednesday 9am – 12noon
Dr Alvin Ling
MB ChB (Otago), PGDipTravMed (Distinction), Certificate of Dermoscopy
Alvin graduated from the University of Otago in 2007 and subsequently worked in Christchurch Hospital as a medical registrar in general medicine. He then began training to be a general practitioner and joined Medical Corner Doctors in 2014.
He has special interests in skin cancer medicine (including dermoscopy and skin lesion removal), minor surgery and travel medicine. He has completed the skin lesion biopsy course offered by Burwood hospital as well as the certificate of dermoscopy course offered by the Australasian Skin Cancer College. He had also completed the postgraduate diploma course in travel medicine which enables him to be an accredited yellow fever vaccinator. His interests outside work include hiking, badminton, fishing and golfing..
ALVIN’S CONSULTING HOURS
Monday 9:30am – 5pm | Tuesday 9:30am – 5pm | Wednesday 9:30am – 12:30pm | Friday 9am – 5pm
Dr Stephen Walsh
MBChB, FRNZCGP, Dip Physiotherapy, Dip O&G, Dip Child Health
Steve graduated from Otago University in 1991. He previously worked as a physiotherapist and subsequently as a rural GP in Southland before joining the Medical Corner Doctors team in 2001. As one of the directors of Medical Corner Doctors, Steve is also involved in the management of the practice.
His passions are family medicine and general medicine. Within the Medical Corner team his role is teaching and overseeing our general practice registrars and medical students.
Aside from medicine, his family includes wife Vivien (Dr Viv Binney), who also works part time with us, and son Matthew. Steve is a keen sports follower, especially football and athletics and has wide music and reading interests when not involved in family activities. He is always ready for a philosophical chat.
STEVE’S CONSULTING HOURS
Monday 9am – 5pm | Tuesday 10am – 7pm | Wednesday 8:30am – 4:30pm | Friday 9am – 1pm
Dr Viv Binney
MBChB, FRNZCGP, Dip O&G, NZ Reg Comp Nurse
Viv was a registered NZ nurse, having trained in Christchurch prior to completing her Medical degree at Otago University. She comes from the border of Otago and Southland from a family farming background, is an owner at MCD, having been with the team for nearly two decades. She works at Canterbury University Health Centre and has a regular After Hours commitment at Riccarton clinic.
Viv enjoys the varied work in general practice – especially mothers and children and also does minor surgery. Viv and her husband, Steve Walsh, are both senior clinical lecturers at the University of Otago .
VIV’S CONSULTING HOURS
Tuesday 3pm – 7pm | Thursday 8:30am – 12:30pm
Dr Lorna Archer
MB BS BSc (physiol)
Lorna graduated from the London Hospital in 1982 and completed her GP training in South East London and also did a year in anaesthetics. She worked for 13 years in rural general practice in Queenstown, where she dealt with a variety of trauma, both major and minor, as well as usual general practice.
She joined Medical Corner Doctors in 2003. Her special interests are women’s health, including the fitting of Mirena and other intra-uterine devices, and children’s health. She has also upskilled in minor surgery through working at the Burwood plastic surgery outpatient unit.
Lorna is also a panel physician for immigration medicals. Her main interests outside of work are natural history and the performing arts.
LORNA’S CONSULTING HOURS
Wednesday 10am – 7pm | Thursday 2pm – 6pm | Friday 2pm – 5pm
Dr Begoña Goyache
Begoña joined us in 2018. She brings with her a variety of experience with special interests in cardiovascular disease and minor surgery. Begoña trained in Spain and has been working in New Zealand for the last five years. She is taking on new patients.
Begoña is also a panel physician for immigration medicals.
BEGONA’S CONSULTING HOURS
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 8:30am – 4:30pm
Dr Gert Gammelin
MRCGP UK
Gert joined the practice in early 2017. He graduated from medical school in Germany in 1996, but has trained and worked in the UK ever since. He has a special interest in heart disease. He is a keen sports follower and enjoys cycling. Gert is taking on new patients.
GERT’S CONSULTING HOURS
Monday 3pm – 7pm | Wednesday 9am – 5pm | Thursday 9am – 5pm | Friday 9am – 5pm