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Health Happenings at the Fieldays

With numbers at the 2023 Fieldays reaching over 105,000, it was a great opportunity to, once again, expose attendees to the latest developments in health care. Often those in rural areas do not have the opportunity to keep up with current tests and screening, which allow families to stay healthy. Access to all stands was easy, with most exhibitors in the same building, meaning people and their families could drift past the stands and linger at the ones which appealed. 

Rural New Zealand Needs You!

While many students were trying to find somewhere warm over the mid-semester break, a fellow Nursing student and I joined student health professionals from Otago University and Victoria University on a trek around Taranaki to promote health careers in rural schools. With a severe rural General Practitioner (GP) shortage making it almost impossible to find a GP who’ll take on new patients, one waits a month to see a GP if you’re lucky enough to have one, and half of the GPs that are seeing patients are planning to retire in over next five years the often-over-used phrase “crisis” is an understatement. It’s not just rural GPs. At one rural hospital we visited, the dentist visited once a fortnight, despite a large waiting list of people needing urgent care. Walking through an empty dental unit, all set up to see patients was eerie and demonstrated the dire need for health professionals in rural areas.

Innovative Rural Clinical Experience for Some Health Students at University of Auckland

Opening in 2012, the Rural Health Interprofessional Programme, based at Te Whatu Ora – Whakatane, had student numbers of seven with three disciplines: Medical Students, Registered Nurses and Occupational Therapists. Now in 2023, this exciting, innovative programme has expanded, with numbers increasing to approximately 70 students a year and includes a much wider variety of Health professionals, including Speech Language Therapists, Social Workers, Physiotherapists, Health Psychologists, Dieticians, Optometrists, Podiatrists, Pharmacists, Nurses, Paramedics and Occupational Therapists and Medical Imaging.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT – NZRGPN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

If you haven't seen already, see below for the 2022 NZRGPN Annual Report. A historic issue as it serves as the final addition of such reports, so have a browse and read through the past year that was. With it closes the door on the NZRGPN. However, while we look forward to the 2023 version in creating something that we can all be proud of as we continue as Hauora Taiwhenua in the future, we won't forget all the mahi of those that came before us, who have paved the way for where we are today.

Cyclone Relief – Dr Susie Moller Locum Placement

“There was really no other decision to make - I had the time and training, my family were supportive, and I knew I'd meet some great people,” said Dr Susie Moller. We were delighted to be able to speak with Dr Susie Moller, a locum GP based in Auckland, about her experience providing assistance in Tairāwhiti following Cyclone Gabrielle. Two months after Cyclone Gabrielle, Tairāwhiti remains one of the worst-hit regions, with stories of response and recovery truly reflecting the devastation in the region.

Strategic Planning Day in Photos

That’s a wrap for our Strategic Planning Day, and what a couple of days it was! A big thank you must go to our guest speakers, and our facilitator Chris Mules. We appreciate the time you all took to be a part of this important event in our organisation’s direction. Thank you also to our sponsor Indici, who’s support in funding this event we are extremely grateful for.

   

 

That’s a wrap for our Strategic Planning Day, and what a couple of days it was!

On Day 1, it was fantastic to see individuals coming from different parts of the country, and their different chapters to join as one voice. A huge thank you to those who travelled to take part in person, and those who joined online – as the name suggests, we are all in this together.

Day 2 saw our Senior Management, HT Board, HT Council and Te Rōpū Ārahi coming together to formulate the result of all the previous days input and knowledge shared.

A big thank you must go to our guest speakers, and our facilitator Chris Mules. We appreciate the time you all took to be a part of this important event in our organisation’s direction.

Thank you also to our sponsor Indici, who’s support in funding this event we are extremely grateful for.

See below for the key stages coming up in our strategic planning process.

    • Version 1 presented to Council and Board Meetings – 20 April 2023
    • Board Review Version 2 – 18 May 2023
    • Council Approve Final Strategic Plan – 1 June 2023
    • Strategic Plan Adopted – 1 July 2023