The allied health workforce is a crucial, if at times poorly visible, component of modern healthcare systems. The services provided by allied health professionals may be particularly important for underserved populations, including rural and remote communities.

This report explores the complex social and cultural reasons that Māori may be less likely to engage with childhood vaccination services. Delayed immunisation is a factor strongly associated with increasing rate of infectious diseases. 

A prospective multi-centre study assessing the safety and effectiveness following the implementation of an accelerated chest pain pathway using point-of-care troponin for use in New Zealand rural hospital and primary care settings, European Heart Journal. Acute Cardiovascular Care, 2022.

In a post-COVID-19 era we have all experienced a move into the virtual environment especially for ongoing education/professional development and will relate to this study’s findings. 

A team at the University of Otago has been awarded a small seeding grant for establishing a Rural Health Research Network over the next four years, hosted by the Department of GP & Rural Health, Dunedin School of Medicine and involving Ngāi Tahu Māori Health research unit, Division of Health Sciences.

Dr Rory Miller and Associate Professor Garry Nixon are among 22 University of Otago researchers to receive a share of nearly $34 million in Health Research Council of New Zealand funding.