think_hauora

Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CEP)

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 20:32:31 GMT

Palmerston North

1x Full-time, Permanent

About us:

THINK Hauora designs, delivers, and supports primary health care services across Ōtaki, Horowhenua, Manawatū and Tararua. We are committed to equity and to improving health outcomes for our communities, with a strong focus on partnership, whānau‑centred care, and reducing barriers to access.

THINK Hauora is committed to honouring Te Tīriti o Waitangi and are guided by Ka Ao, Ka Awatea – Māori Health Strategic Framework to improve Hauora outcomes for the communities we serve.

About the opportunity:

We are looking for a passionate Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CEP) to join our integrated Long‑Term Conditions (LTC) team.

This is a varied and rewarding role where you will work alongside individuals, whānau, and communities to support confidence, function, and sustainable lifestyle change. You will deliver safe, progressive physical activity interventions as part of a shared plan of care, working closely with nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, general practice teams, and community providers.

The role involves a mix of group‑based programmes, individual support, and community‑based delivery, helping people transition towards long‑term self‑management and improved wellbeing.

What you will do:

Deliver individual and group‑based physical activity interventions for people living with long‑term conditions
Complete clinical assessment, monitoring, and evaluation during supported activity
Contribute specialist exercise physiology expertise within a multidisciplinary team
Support people to build confidence and transition to independent, sustainable movement
Work closely with General Practice Teams and community providers to support integrated care
Promote equitable access to services, particularly for Māori and other priority populations
Maintain accurate clinical documentation and contribute to service improvement initiatives

About you

You are motivated, people‑centred, and passionate about supporting meaningful lifestyle change. You enjoy working as part of a team and are comfortable delivering care in community and group settings.

You will have:

A relevant qualification in Clinical Exercise Physiology, Exercise Science, or a related field
Experience delivering exercise prescription or lifestyle interventions, ideally with long‑term conditions
Strong communication skills and the ability to engage with diverse communities
An understanding of equity‑focused and culturally safe practice
The ability to work both independently and within a multidisciplinary team
A full, clean driver’s licence

Why work with us

At THINK Hauora, you’ll work alongside a supportive and values‑driven team committed to making a real difference for our communities.

We offer:

Competitive salary (based on skills and experience)
Professional development opportunities
Annual flu vaccination
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
10 days’ sick leave per annum after three months’ service
A flexible and supportive workplace culture

To apply for this role, please Apply Now via Seek .

We’ll be reviewing applications as they come in, so please don’t delay,we encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as suitable candidates may be contacted before the listing closes.

JD - to be added soon.

Immunisations Co-ordinator

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:59:17 GMT

Palmerston North

1x Full-time, Permanent

About us:

At THINK Hauora we are committed to enhancing health and wellbeing within all communities, including Māori, Pasifika, Youth, and LGBTQIA+ communities, across our rohe. We value diversity and inclusivity, and we warmly welcome individuals from all walks of life to contribute to our vision of Connecting Communities for Wellbeing.

THINK Hauora is committed to honouring Te Tīriti o Waitangi to improve Hauora outcomes for the communities we serve.

About the opportunity:

We are seeking a motivated and experienced Registered Nurse to join our team as an Immunisation Coordinator based in Palmerston with some travel across the wider MidCentral region.

This is a dynamic and rewarding role where you will support the delivery of the National Immunisation Schedule and work closely with general practices, community providers, and regional partners to improve immunisation coverage across the MidCentral region.

You will play a key role in strengthening immunisation services, supporting vaccinators, and leading initiatives that improve health outcomes (particularly for Māori and other priority populations).

What you will do:

Support General Practice teams to deliver the New Zealand Immunisation Schedule according to national standards and best practice
Work collaboratively with providers, Te Whatu Ora, IMAC and other stakeholders to deliver national, regional and local immunisation programmes and campaigns (e.g. Influenza, HPV, COVID-19)
Provide education, mentorship, advice, and support to vaccinators and health professionals
Assist practices with data, reporting, overdue reports, and clinic coordination to achieve coverage and achieve Health New Zealand targets
Promote immunisation and contribute to community outreach and health promotion activities
Support quality improvement initiatives to enhance service delivery and achieve Health New Zealand targets
Build strong relationships across the sector to improve access and equity of immunisation services
Assist in maintaining and supporting cold chain requirements aligned with national guidelines for vaccine storage and distribution

About you:

We are looking for a confident and collaborative Registered Nurse who is passionate about improving population health outcomes.

Essential:

Registered Nurse with a current Annual Practising Certificate
Independent Authorised Vaccinator
Current CPR certification (Level 4)
Three to five years vaccinating experience (whole of life)
Working knowledge of the NZ Immunisation Schedule
Strong knowledge of the cold chain processes and management
Excellent relationship-building and communication skills
Ability to work both independently and is highly motivated to work within a team environment
Full, clean current driver’s licence

You will also bring:

A commitment to equity and culturally responsive practice
Strong organisational and problem-solving skills
Experience working within primary health care, immunisation, child health or with diverse communities
Confidence and experience using practice management systems (PMS), Aotearo Immunisation Register (AIR) and Microsoft suite

Highlights of Working with Us

At THINK Hauora you will work alongside a diverse team of professionals who are passionate about delivering primary health care to our region and making a positive impact to our communities. Working for THINK Hauora will provide genuine opportunity to contribute to the quality and wellbeing of our rohe.

Our staff benefits include:

Competitive base salary
Professional Development opportunities
Annual flu vaccinations
EAP (employment assistance programme)
All staff receive 10 days sick leave per annum after three-months' continuous service
We enjoy casual-dress Fridays

To apply for this role, please Apply Now via Seek .

We’ll be reviewing applications as they come in, so please don’t delay,we encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as suitable candidates may be contacted before the listing closes.

JD - to be added soon.

Opportunity for experienced GP at City Doctors, White Cross

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 22:08:29 GMT

GP, City doctors

We are recruiting a General Practitioner to join our City Doctors White Cross urgent care and general practice team. This role offers the opportunity to make a real impact within a diverse community while working alongside an experienced, supportive clinical team.

We welcome applications from GPs who value patient‑centred care, enjoy a varied clinical environment and are looking for flexibility and professional growth. Please share this opportunity with your networks.

Please contact Yvonne Coffin at Yvonnec@citydoctors.co.nz for more information or apply online at https://iaantz.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/1349/?utm_medium=jobshare&utm_source=External+Job+Share

Health Care Assistant - Permanent part time

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 02:17:44 GMT

Health Care Assistant - Permanent part time

We are looking for a team member to join our medium –sized, progressive Palmerston North based General Practice team. Sydney Street Health Centre is a friendly, supportive place to work with a strong focus on being responsive to our patients’ needs and continuity of care for our patients.

Essential Skills:

Well presented, friendly and approachable with excellent customer service skills – both in person and on the phone
The ability to work well under pressure, displaying a calm, professional and reassuring manner towards all our practice population at all times.
Ability to work autonomously as well as part of a team
Well organised with excellent time management skills.

Duties include assisting GPs/NPs for minor ops, removal of sutures, Blood pressure checks, driver medicals, ECG’s, ordering stock and recalls

Medtech 32 or Evolution experience is an advantage.

The hours offered are 20-24 hrs a week and days are negotiable.

Applicants for this position must have NZ residency or a valid NZ work visa with no restrictions.

Applications to be done in writing or emailed to Monique on monique@sydneysthealth.co.nz .

Applications close on Thursday 16 ^th April 2026. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted after applications close.

Nurse Practitioner - Prescriber

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:59:26 GMT

Kimiora, Levin

1x Full-time

Committed to fostering a supportive and collaborative environment in Primary Healthcare
Based in the beautiful Manawatu in Levin
Join us in delivering outstanding healthcare services and making a positive impact in our community!

About THINK Hauora and Kimiora:

This position will be located at Kimiora, a satellite clinic of HCP, based at 13B Bristol, Levin. Kimiora is owned and operated by THINK Hauora. Kimiora is governed by the board of THINK Hauora.

The Role:

We are seeking a compassionate and dedicated Nurse Practitioner Prescriber to join our dynamic team at Kimiora. The ideal candidate will have a strong passion for patient care and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment. You will play a crucial role in delivering comprehensive healthcare services to our patients and will work collaboratively with physicians and other healthcare professionals.

Key responsibilities include (but not limited to):

Providing advanced nursing and prescribing expertise for Primary Health Care
Assessment, clinical management and coordination of care across primary and secondary settings will ensure appropriate, safe and timely care delivery.
Further the development of professional expertise and capacity within the nursing and interdisciplinary workforce that will enable them to proactively facilitate early recognition and effective management of co-morbid conditions and health deterioration of older people.

Skills and Attributes include (but not limited to):

Current registration as a Nurse Practitioner Prescriber with the Nursing Council of New Zealand
Registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand in the Registered Nurse Scope of Practice
Committed to improving the quality of care and service delivery for primary health in a client centred, culturally safe, creative and innovative manner
Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
Strong clinical assessment and diagnostic skills. - Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

How to Apply:

If you are passionate about making a difference in patient care and meet the qualifications for this role, we would love to hear from you! Please apply now via Seek .

Applications will be reviewed as they are received with the aim of filling the position as soon as possible. You must have the right to live and work in Aotearoa New Zealand to apply for this job.

THINK Hauora Appoints New Board Chair

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 21:11:38 GMT

Media release: THINK Hauora

The THINK Hauora Board is pleased to announce the appointment of John Peters, MNZM, as Chairperson of the Board for the Primary Health Organisation (PHO).

John succeeds Dr Bruce Stewart, who is stepping down after twelve years of service in the role.

With a distinguished career spanning governance and executive leadership across the health, government, and corporate sectors, John brings a wealth of experience to the position. He was recently appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for his services to governance and palliative care.

John currently chairs the Nelson Tasman Hospice Operating and Investment Trust Boards and serves on the Technology Advisory Group and the national Board of Hospice NZ. His previous roles include Chief Executive of the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board (2004–2012), where he delivered five consecutive years of financial surpluses while maintaining top national rankings in patient satisfaction.

Throughout this time, John led the pioneering inclusion of primary care clinicians in DHB leadership, strengthening community connections and ensuring a comprehensive approach to regional health services. He has also undertaken several interim Chief Executive roles within the health sector through his consultancy work.

His broader governance experience includes nine years as Chair of the Nelson City Council's Audit, Risk and Finance Committee. John is a Member of the Institute of Directors, a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management, and a registered GATEWAY Reviewer for government projects. He currently resides in Horowhenua.

John is committed to supporting THINK Hauora in its mission to improve health and wellbeing across the MidCentral region. He brings a strong strategic vision focused on achieving equity of access and better health outcomes and is passionate about building strong governance through effective succession planning.

THINK Hauora Chief Executive, Amarjit Maxwell, says, "We are pleased to welcome John Peters to THINK Hauora as our new Board Chair. John brings a depth of governance experience and a clear passion for equitable, community-driven healthcare that aligns strongly with our values and direction. We look forward to the leadership and insight he will bring to the organisation."

"I would also like to thank Bruce for his outstanding service as Board Chair over the past twelve years. His strong leadership, support, and unwavering commitment have played a pivotal role in shaping THINK Hauora and ensuring we’re focused on our vision of Connecting Communities for Wellbeing."

Levin Better Breathing Programme Celebrates Milestone 50th Programme

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 21:43:08 GMT

Media Release: THINK Hauora

This month THINK Hauora’s Physical Activity Service celebrates the delivery of the 50th Levin Better Breathing Programme in partnership with Levin physiotherapist Ingrid Bats.

The Levin Better Breathing Programme, also known as the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme, has supported individuals living with chronic respiratory conditions since 2011. Available through referral by a respiratory specialist, the programme offers vital support to people with conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and chronic asthma, helping them to manage symptoms and improve their quality of life. The 50th programme, which will finish up in late March, marks a significant milestone for the programme’s success and longevity.

THINK Hauora Physical Activity Service Team Lead and Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Grant Hansen, says, “Reaching 50 Better Breathing programmes is such a remarkable achievement, and testament to the positive and encouraging environment that Ingrid creates. People are the focus - participants can feel comfortable to both exercise and share their journey with the group. That connection has been key to its success.”

Self-management and education are built into the programme, and Ingrid and Grant help to enhance the participants’ knowledge, skills, and confidence in managing their long-term respiratory conditions.

Ingrid, a semi-retired physiotherapist who has been with the programme from its inception, has been instrumental in its achievements and longevity. Her dedication has made a profound difference in the lives of many in the Levin community.

Ingrid says, “Being a part of the Better Breathing programme from the beginning has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s amazing to see how the programme has evolved and how it has helped people take control of their health and live better lives.”

Many participants, especially older people, often feel isolated and disconnected due to their health conditions. Ingrid explains, "They tend to stay at home and do less, which only worsens their condition. The social aspect of the programme—meeting others with similar conditions—has been a game-changer."

One of the challenges Ingrid faces is that many people join the programme too late, when their condition is already advanced. She emphasises the importance of earlier referrals for participants to get on track with exercise sooner. "People often come when their condition is already quite advanced. If they could join earlier, it would make a big difference."

Ingrid, who retired in 2023 after 30 years of running Levin-based physiotherapy clinic Physio + Rehab with her husband Otto, continues her work with the programme because of the fulfillment it brings. "I’ve kept going with this programme because it warms my heart. As long as they want me, I’ll be there."

For participants, the social connection and support from the long-running Levin Better Breathing programme have played a key role in improving their health and creating lasting changes in their lives. Past programme participant Fleur O’Sullivan says she attended following a diagnosis of COPD, a condition that had she had seen the effects of firsthand. “My aunt had died from it, so I had immediately written myself off. It was really eye-opening to see all the other people who have had this thing [COPD] longer, and how they’ve managed it. I didn’t feel so alone. By the end of the first session, I thought ‘I’m home’.”

Stuart McCarthy, who also has COPD, says, “It [the Levin Better Breathing Programme] was fun. It’s not serious, but we all got stuck in and did it. The first time I came, I could do about four laps around the hall, and I was really tired. By week three, I’m cruising around like there’s no tomorrow. Now I can walk the dog. I’m doing half a kilometre which I couldn’t do before.”

Ingrid stresses the importance of making exercise accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of how they feel on any given day. "I always tell participants there’s no stress—just come and move at your own pace. Even if you don’t feel great, come anyway, and you’ll likely leave feeling better. The key is to create an environment where there’s no competition, just support and understanding."

Anyone interested in joining the Better Breathing (Pulmonary Rehabilitation) Programme can obtain a referral through their general practice team. Once referred, participants will be connected to the Respiratory Service at Palmerston North Hospital, where they will be linked to the programme. The programme is available throughout the year in Palmerston North, Levin, and Dannevirke.

For more information about the Better Breathing (Pulmonary Rehabilitation) Programme, contact THINK Hauora:

Phone: 06 354 9107
Email: info@thinkhauora.nz
Website: Better Breathing Programme | Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Programme Coordinator, Here Toitū

sareena.sinclair@thinkhauora.nz (Sareena Sinclair) — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 01:29:11 GMT

Programme Coordinator, Here Toitū

Part-Time, Fixed-Term

Palmerston North

About THINK Hauora

THINK Hauora is a medium sized Primary Health Organisations (PHO) within New Zealand. We have up to 120 employees, clinical and non-clinical, striving to improve wellbeing and health outcomes across the MidCentral region. We have a strong focus on equity, whānau ora outcomes and a commitment to collaborating and partnering with stakeholders – to ultimately improve health and wellbeing outcomes within our rohe.

The Here Toitū Programme:

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) have partnered to deliver “Here Toitū” – a national programme that supports people living with a health condition or disability move towards employment, or those already in employment who have health issues that are impacting on their ability to work. THINK Hauora is one of four PHOs working in partnership with MSD to deliver the Here Toitū programme in different regions across the country. The team comprises a Programme Manager, Kaimanaaki (Navigators), Dedicated Work & Income Case Manager and an Employment Specialist.

This role is offered on a fixed-term basis, linked to funding that runs through to June 2027.

Make a Meaningful Impact in Your Community

Are you passionate about supporting people and ensuring smooth, effective processes? This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a team making a real difference in the lives of whānau across our region.

In this role, you will provide vital support to the Programme Manager and wider team, helping to deliver high-quality services to participants. You’ll engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds and with varying health needs—your ability to build rapport, demonstrate empathy, and show respect will be essential.

Your responsibilities will include:

Coordinating and maintaining general administrative functions
Assisting with data collection, reporting, and presentation
Acting as the first point of contact for all whānau enquiries
Gathering and presenting whānau feedback
Becoming the go-to expert in our Patient Management System (Indici)
Creating engaging newsletters for whānau and our GP network

We're looking for someone who values people as much as they do process—an enthusiastic team player who brings others together and keeps things running smoothly.

This fixed-term part-time position (Monday to Friday, 20 hours per week) is based in central Palmerston North. Occasional travel within the MidCentral region may be required, and access to a company vehicle is provided. A full, clean driver’s licence is essential.

About you

A motivated self-starter, you will have demonstrated experience in a similar role. Experience in primary health environment or a keen interest in health and wellbeing will be an advantage.

For success in this role, you will ideally have the following skills and attributes:

Top notch organisational and administrative skills
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
Positive mindset along with enthusiasm and the desire to learn and upskill
Culturally responsive and inclusive team member
High level of integrity and the ability to ensure confidentiality of personal information
Proficiency in using Microsoft365 and managing online calendars/databases
Knowledge or experience of Zoom, Microsoft Teams and online surveys.
Flexibility and ability to prioritise your workload
Coordinating and organising meetings & events, tools, and resources
Creative mindset and a proactive approach to problem-solving
Ability to build positive relationships with various stakeholders
High level of accuracy and attention to detail
Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application to equity in the health and disability sector
Knowledge of services within our local community is desirable

Highlights of Working with Us

Our staff benefits include:

• Competitive base salary

• Professional Development opportunities

• Annual flu vaccinations

• EAP (employment assistance programme)

• All staff receive 10 days sick leave per annum after three-months' continuous service

• We enjoy casual-dress Fridays

To apply for this role, please Apply Now via Seek .

We’ll be reviewing applications as they come in, so please don’t delay…we encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as suitable candidates may be contacted before the listing closes.

Job Description

New Health Collaboration Agreement To Boost Regional Innovation

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 00:58:29 GMT

Media Release - New Health Collaboration Agreement To Boost Regional Innovation

6 September, 2024

Improved community health outcomes, collaboration and connected patient care is the focus of a new regional commitment across Manawatū, Whanganui and Hawke’s Bay primary health providers.

THINK Hauora, Whanganui Regional Health Network and Health Hawke’s Bay have this month signed a Heads of Agreement (HoA), establishing a joint approach to the development and delivery of health and wellbeing services for their communities.

THINK Hauora Chief Executive Amarjit Maxwell said the agreement reflected the commitment their organisation has made to sharing innovative ideas and connections that will help improve hauora outcomes for all patients across the wider rohe.

“By working together and combining our strengths, we can enhance the quality of care, achieve our shared goals for improving community health, and better serve our communities and whānau.

“We want GPs and health providers to benefit from having more shared resources and knowledge available to them, reducing the time they have to spend developing these independently. We’re also working together on new solutions, such as an app that will help patients with long term conditions, like diabetes or chronic pain, manage their health.”

“The commonality for all three PHOs, is that we serve rural and provincial New Zealand,” says Jude MacDonald, Whanganui Regional Health Network Chief Executive and Pou Kahurangi. “This is a strength, and we wish to learn from each other and the authentic relationships we have formed with our Iwi partners, to share innovative solutions from our localities that put our people at the centre of our decision making and support the aspiration of Māori to achieve Hauora.

“This approach has the potential to create scale and influence, which the system is seeking in codesign of primary and community care for and with our communities.”

Health Hawke’s Bay Pou Whakarae | Chief Executive Irihāpeti Mahuika said the HoA would help guide the PHO towards its strategic outcome of health equity.

“Whakamana, kotahitanga and auaha [empowerment, collaboration, and innovation] are core values for Health Hawke’s Bay as we aim to achieve equitable health outcomes with Māori, our priority population. We are fortunate to have a wide range of skills across our staffing and are keen to share our knowledge with THINK Hauora and Whanganui Regional Health Network while also upskilling our staff by learning from our partners. This will help Health Hawke’s Bay deliver the best practices and programmes for our providers and whānau.”

The purpose of the HoA is to increase the collaboration between the parties and provide a framework in which the engagement and collaborative activities would take place, Mahuika said.

The collaboration is guided by the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, and aims to transform the health system and improve the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders through a more equitable, accessible, cohesive, and people-centred system, Maxwell added. “Access to high quality primary healthcare will be critical for the achievement of Pae Ora.”

ENDS

Caption : THINK Hauora staff discussing healthcare access at local community events

Caption : Patients will benefit from more connected healthcare

Newly qualified Practice Assistants look to support nurses and doctors in busy winter months

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 02:49:03 GMT

Media Release from: THINK Hauora PHO

July 5, 2024

Ten Primary Care Practice Assistants have just graduated with a New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 4) - Primary Care Practice Assistance through a new apprenticeship programme; the result of a collaboration between Careerforce, UCOL and THINK Hauora.

The initiative was designed to support care assistants working in Primary Care (GP practices) to upskill, providing standardised training and a recognised qualification while in work.

THINK Hauora Chief Executive Officer Amarjit Maxwell says that the qualification and skills gained during the programme enables Primary Care Practice Assistants to support nurses and doctors to work more often at the top of their scope.

“Our healthcare system is under pressure. We have incredible staff already working in primary care in support roles, such as healthcare assistants or receptionists, that are interested in developing their skills to provide more support. This qualification recognises that prior experience and minimises the time they have to spend out of work by enabling work-based learning.”

Graduate Shiloh Graham from Best Care (Whakapai Hauora) started as a Receptionist at the practice. She says this course has given her the opportunity to advance her career into the medical profession.

“Historically, practice assistants have often been trained on the job, which has been great, but it means that there is a significant variation in the skills and experience across practices.

“This programme means I am now qualified to take blood pressure readings, blood samples, urine tests, setting up intravenous lines, removing stitches, and carrying out an ECG. This works alongside other tasks like stocking cupboards and treatment rooms and sterilising surfaces; anything that helps the practice run more smoothly.”

From a clinical perspective, Dr Paul Cooper, Medical Advisor Acute Care for THINK Hauora, says that the graduation of the first cohort is an exciting milestone.

“Winter is here, and knowing that we have more qualified hands on deck, with people that already know our clinical teams and patients, is really worth celebrating. I know I speak for many clinicians when I say that Primary Care Assistants are really important members of the healthcare team.

"They support both patients and healthcare workers, enabling more rapid and efficient patient assessment and treatment."

The ten graduates of the programme are currently employed by The Palms Medical Centre, Kauri Healthcare, Cook Street Health Centre, Best Care (Whakapai Hauora), Victoria Medical Centre, Ōtaki Medical Centre and Levin Family Health.

For more information on the New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 4) - Primary Care Practice Assistance, please visit the UCOL website.

ENDS

THINK Hauora And Horowhenua Community Practice - Moving Premises

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 23:56:17 GMT

Media Release: THINK Hauora

After over two years of planning and development, THINK Hauora and Horowhenua Community Practice (HCP) are thrilled to be relocating to a purpose built and bespoke new premises at 20 Power Street, Levin from 10 June 2024. The building has been gifted a new name by Mana Whenua, Muaūpoko- Te Puna Hauora, which encapsulates the vision and kaupapa of the organisations and their ambitions, a space to provide a healing flow of wellbeing and holistic health outcomes for the community.

“HCP moving into their own premises means they now have more space to provide a greater range of services to the community. With THINK Hauora also joining them, we now have the chance to work together to provide

more community-based care to not only HCP patients but the wider Horowhenua region – watch this space!” – Clare Lander, THINK Hauora.

They are now ready to open the doors and provide patients and staff with a modern facility that can maximise the skills of their clinical team as they continue to deliver first rate care to the community.

“The staff of Horowhenua Community Practice are hugely excited to be moving to the new specially designed clinic space. This move will support our continued commitment to provide an exceptional health care service to our patients.” – Lindsay Heiner, Horowhenua Community Practice.

Preceding the opening, a Dawn Blessing on the 7th of June will be led by representation from local Iwi, Muaūpoko and attended by key players from both organisations. The Power Street premises will open at 12pm on the 10th of June to patients and the public.

THINK Hauora statement: Health Budget 24....

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 22:40:50 GMT

Media release from: THINK Hauora

4 June 2024

THINK Hauora statement: Health Budget 24......

“Primary Care sustainability remains a core challenge for our workforce and it’s disappointing to see that Budget 24 provides little to remedy the immediate situation,” says THINK Hauora CEO Amarjit Maxwell.

“Capitation funding for frontline health care has not kept up with inflation. Coupled with rising costs, and increasingly complex patient needs, many practices are struggling to keep the doors open,” she says.

“The knock-on effects of these pressures over the next year means that our population will have less access to the frontline healthcare services in their communities, and more people will end up in emergency departments, adding pressure to our stretched hospital services.”

“While we were pleased to see more funding for child and youth mental health services, it was disappointing to see removal of free prescriptions for many,” she said.

THINK Hauora is committed to achieving Pae ora (healthy futures) and together with our alliance partners, we continue to advocate for equitable, accessible, cohesive and people-centred primary care to achieve the best outcomes in our rohe.” she says.

More information:

THINK Hauora is a Primary Health Organisation (PHO) that provides primary healthcare services to the North Island’s mid-central region. This includes the Manawatū, Horowhenua and Tararua localities, Palmerston-North city and Kapiti (Ōtaki).

Te Whatu Ora visit to MidCentral region 16 May 2024

Tue, 21 May 2024 03:50:07 GMT

Media Release from: THINK Hauora PHO

May 21, 2024

THINK Hauora welcomes Dame Karen Poutasi to MidCentral regional hui….

Together with local alliance partners, GPs and Iwi Māori Partnership Board CEO, THINK Hauora PHO welcomed Dame Karen Poutasi - Te Whatu Ora Board Chair, to a district hui, showcasing partnership and collaboration in the MidCentral rohe last week.

THINK Hauora took the opportunity to reinforce the challenges impacting local services including on-going workforce shortages, nursing pay parity and capitation funding.

Dame Poutasi was joined by Dr Sarah Clarke, Te Whatu Ora National Clinical Director Primary and Community Care, Dr Anna Skinner, Te Whatu Ora Clinical Chief Advisor Primary Care and General Practice NZ Medical Director, Dr Bryan Betty as part of a national road show to better understand the health landscape across New Zealand.

“THINK Hauora’s expanded governance structure with 50/50 iwi Board representation allows us to be more responsive to the needs of our community, underpinned by Pae Ora and a shared vision of connecting communities for wellbeing across the rohe,” said Dr Bruce Stewart - THINK Hauora Board Chair.”

Supported by THINK Hauora, alliance partners highlighted examples of integrated care in response to community need:

THINK Hauora CEO - Amarjit Maxwell shared highlights of the network wānanga enhancing general practice to support health and wellbeing, bringing over 110 cross sector kaimahi to share and learn together.
Iwi Māori Partnership Board (IMPB) CEO Dan Arapere discussed how local health and wellbeing providers and the seven local iwi are working closely to better meet the needs of the community.
Local alliance partner Te Tihi o Ruahine Upoko Whakarae, Materoa Mar showcased on-going initiatives to support whānau into home ownership, resulting in better health outcomes.
Sarah Fenwick - Group Director of Operations Te Whatu Ora MidCentral, discussed current challenges with patient flow and the programme of work that has been set up enable improvement noting the commitment between Hospital Specialist Services and THINK Hauora.

Guests then traveled to Kauri Health Care in central Palmerston-North, to better understand what integrated family health services looks like in a large, agile and sustainable primary care setting.

More information : THINK Hauora is a Primary Health Organisation (PHO) that provides primary healthcare services to the North Island’s MidCentral region. This includes the Manawatū, Horowhenua and Tararua localities, Palmerston-North city and Kapiti (Ōtaki).

Contact:

Amarjit Maxwell CEO THINK Hauora

Amarjit.maxwell@thinkhauora.nz

Pictured from left: Dame Karen Poutasi, Materoa Mar, Amarjit Maxwell

Pictured from left: Dr Bryan Betty, Dr Sarah Clarke, Dame Karen Poutasi, Dr Anna Skinner, Amarjit Maxwell

Pictured from left: Dr Bryan Betty and Dr Bruce Stewart

END

THINK Hauora and UCOL Te Pūkenga introduce Rainbow Health Scholarship

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 01:33:18 GMT

THINK Hauora and UCOL Te Pūkenga are proud to announce the first Rainbow Health scholarship for ākonga who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community and are studying in an area of health, excluding nursing.

THINK Hauora and UCOL Te Pūkenga are proud to announce the first Rainbow Health scholarship for ākonga who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community and are studying in an area of health, excluding nursing.

Vicky Brown, THINK Hauora’s Service Manager of Primary Mental Health and Addiction service Te Ara Rau at THINK Hauora, attended a ‘Business After 5’ event in 2023 and was inspired after hearing Mel Meates share their lived experience and announcement of the UCOL x Te Whatu Ora MidCentral Rainbow Nursing scholarship.

“After hearing that MidCentral could come to the party for a scholarship aimed at LGBTQIA+ ākonga, I thought that would be a fantastic opportunity for THINK Hauora to offer a scholarship and capture rainbow ākonga studying other health subjects that often lead into primary healthcare.”

“Within our Te Ara Rau umbrella of services, THINK Hauora has a gender affirming care programme called ‘ The Tūturu Service: True to your authentic self ’, which ties in directly with this scholarship. One of our kaimahi within this service is trans and is also an ex-UCOL student who was very aware of the gap in available financial support for LGBTQIA+ ākonga,” Ms Brown explains.

Megan Smith, ex-UCOL Scholarships Coordinator now THINK Hauora Communications Manager, says that by having this scholarship available specifically for rainbow ākonga of health subjects, it is the first of its kind in Aotearoa.

“It was important to THINK Hauora that an opportunity was provided for all the other rainbow ākonga studying health subjects in the same way MidCentral created an opportunity for the Bachelor of Nursing ākonga with UCOL Te Pūkenga.

“These ākonga will become our future workforce, and it’s so important that our minority populations see themselves in those who are caring for them – it comes back to representation. We are thrilled to be able to support ākonga in this way, and hopefully other health providers around the country can be inspired by these scholarships that have been developed here in the MidCentral district and look to create their own rainbow scholarships too,” she says.

“Due to range of courses this scholarship covers we decided it would be best to split the scholarship in half and run two rounds to capture ākonga in both semesters. This means UCOL Te Pūkenga will award $1,500 in semester one and again in semester two.”

The first scholarship round will open on Thursday 1 February and close on 29 March 2024.
Visit https://www.ucol.ac.nz/study-at-ucol/fund-your-study/scholarships/scholarships-for-ucol-students for more information and the application form.

Te Pūkenga and THINK Hauora collaborate in effort to increase skilled healthcare support workforce

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 19:23:03 GMT

Te Pūkenga business divisions Careerforce and UCOL are working collaboratively to support THINK Hauora with the general practice (primary care) workforce in the Manawatū region to upskill and gain a recognised qualification.

Alaina Cameron, Academic Portfolio Manager Social Services for UCOL, says kaimahi (staff) from within general practice teams will be completing the New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 4) - Primary Care Practice Assistance via an apprenticeship programme , which is designed to improve the knowledge and skills of general practice staff to support the effective running of a general practice.

“The programme supports them to perform clinical tasks under the direction and delegation of a health professional and perform administrative tasks to contribute to the effective functioning of general practice. As a result, the Primary Care Practice Assistant is able to provide seamless support to patients and their whānau who are accessing medical care at their general practice.”

Belinda Stone, Learning and Development Manager at THINK Hauora, explains that this initiative has been driven by THINK Hauora, the primary health organisation that serves the primary healthcare needs of the MidCentral Te Whatu Ora districts of Manawatū, Tararua, and Horowhenua by supporting general practice teams.

”THINK Hauora looked to develop the care assistant workforce in this important area with a view to standardised training. The mahi that Primary Care Practice Assistants do enables nurses and doctors to work more often at the top of their scope.”

“Careerforce and UCOL identified an opportunity to use their combined skills, knowledge, and resources. This partnership has enabled work-based learning and support for those currently working in a general practice setting in a patient support role (e.g. health care assistant, receptionist) who were interested in developing a career and/or gaining a qualification in health and wellbeing; supporting people, whānau, and the wider healthcare team.”

“This collaborative initiative between Careerforce and UCOL will provide the opportunity to recognise the prior experience of general practice kaimahi, in turn minimising time out of mahi (work) for the kaimahi as they gain relevant health qualifications and establish connections and shared learning across general practice teams.”

Supporting the work-based learning, Careerforce will deliver the Primary Care Practice Assistance Apprenticeship programme utilising UCOL’s facilities and equipment within Te Whaioranga, UCOL’s state-of-the-art purpose-built health and social services education centre.

Anne Meyer, Careerforce Apprenticeship Advisor, says the delivery will reflect strength-based language, address the importance of the skills and cultural competencies to identify with Māori, develop the core skills and attitudes needed by the workforce to support a person-centred approach and to work as part of an integrated team no matter what sector or community they are working in.

“Our first cohort of learners consists of eleven general practice staff from across Palmerston North, Levin and Ōtaki. Each learner has a designated Assessor/Advisor - someone who walks alongside the learner and supports the relationship between them, their employer, and their training.”

Ms Meyer led the launch of the initiative in June, attended by general practice staff from across the region and representatives from THINK Hauora, Careerforce, and UCOL.

“The collaborative partnership between Careerforce, UCOL and THINK Hauora will also focus on scaffolding towards diplomas and degrees, reducing barriers to learning, encouraging the completion of micro- credentials and enable Te Pūkenga business divisions and health organisations to work together to explore future opportunities.”

General practice organisations reject Government funding increase

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 04:20:59 GMT

General practice organisations have rejected the Government’s proposed 5 per cent increase in general practice funding from July 1, saying that an increase of at least 14 per cent is needed to keep services going.

In a joint letter to Te Whatu Ora the primary care organisations (including THINK Hauora) that make up the General Practice Leaders Forum say the proposed 5 per cent uplift will in no way address the emergent crisis in general practice, and is likely to compound current workforce and cost pressures.

General Practice New Zealand (GPNZ), GenPro, Hauora Taiwhenua, The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP), the Practice Managers Association (PMAANZ) and College of Primary Care Nursing have provided Te Whatu Ora with a comprehensive counterproposal that includes workforce solutions as well as additional funding.

The organisations insist that the need for investment in general practice is unequivocal in order to avoid harm to our population.

Dr Fiona Bolden, Chair of Hauora Taiwhenua/Rural Health Network said: “People need to be able to enrol with a GP, to be able to get an appointment with their practice in a timely way, and to be able to afford an appointment when they need one. Sadly, this is an increasingly difficult scenario for many New Zealanders, particularly some of our most vulnerable and high needs.”

“We need more staff to care for patients, and we need more funding for practices so they can retain staff and recruit more to maintain services for our communities,” said Michelle Te Kira, Executive Chair of PMAANZ.

Tracey Morgan, Chair of NZ College of Primary Health Care Nurses said: “The formal response made by GPLF sets out a 20-point plan designed to build and support the general practice workforce and ensure that future funding arrangements promote sustainable and equitable services for all New Zealanders.”

“Our counterproposal is a recovery plan for general practice,” adds Dr Bryan Betty, Chair of General Practice New Zealand. “We are offering a range of solutions and want to work with Te Whatu Ora urgently on new funding arrangements based around community needs and modern general practice. General practice can do more if it resourced to do more. Even within a constrained funding envelope, there are a range of initiatives that will help to improve equity, access and best possible health outcomes for New Zealanders and support our over-stretched primary care workforce.”

One third of general practices are not able to take on any new patients and half of all New Zealand GPs report that they are burnt-out, the highest number in any country surveyed by the Commonwealth Fund.

“Our 2022 workforce survey found the number of GPs per 100,000 people is projected to fall from 74 in 2021 to just 70 in 2031. That is a big reduction, especially when we know that 10 extra GPs per 100,000 people means about 30 people a year wouldn’t die from cancer, respiratory, and cardiovascular issues,” said Dr Sam Murton, President of the RNZCGP.

“Our findings also showed if all 425 GPs over the retirement age left the workforce immediately there would be approximately 725,000 patients without a doctor. It’s clear the situation is both desperate and growing,” Dr Murton adds.

The funding model problems are not new. After a sustained call to revisit funding the Government, via Interim Health New Zealand, commissioned Sapere to review general practice funding last year. Their independent report showed that a 9 per cent increase in funding was required for practices just to stand still – a figure far higher in communities with the greatest health needs. Sapere also provide the annual uplift calculations which resulted in an offer from Te Whatu Ora of 5 per cent this year.

Dr Tim Malloy, Chair of GenPro said the group know the Government is likely to impose the 5 per cent increase which is well below inflation and costs, for the financial year beginning on July 1, just as it imposed a 3 per cent increase last year.

“The funding model currently in use by the Government doesn’t accurately reflect the real costs of running a general practice, plus it doesn’t consider that many people have higher needs and visit their general practice care team more often. Our members are clear, they are struggling to recruit and retain staff. Many wonder how they’ll keep their doors open unless we get this much-needed investment.”

International Nurses Day

Thu, 11 May 2023 20:00:00 GMT

Kia ora koutou and happy International Nurses Day to all our nurses across the network.

The theme for International Nurses Day 2023 is Our Nurses. Our Future - shining a light on nurses and on a brighter future, moving nurses from invisible to invaluable in the eyes of policy makers, the public, and all those who make decisions affecting the delivery and financing of health care.

Kimiora

This International Nurses Day, we wanted to shine a spotlight on Kimiora, a nurse practitioner-led clinic based in Horowhenua.

Kimiora is the outcome of a kaupapa involving local iwi, consumers, nurse practitioners and THINK Hauora. The clinic, which opened on July 1 2021 in Horowhenua, aims to provide a responsive and culturally appropriate health service to specifically, but not exclusively, Māori and Pasifika populations in Horowhenua.

The clinic was looking to intertwine the Māori tikanga principles of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, kotahitanga, wairuatange, rangatiratanga and overall holistic health approaches with the primary health care principles of an appropriate, accessible and accountable service.

The clinic is a satellite site of Horowhenua Community Practice, and patients can receive care for their long term conditions from their nurse practitioner at the Kimiora clinic. The clinic also offers a number of initiatives designed to break down as many barriers to access as possible, such as a subscription service to help pay for ongoing care, if that is a solution that suits patients.

The team feel the approach aligns well to the proposed health reforms, with a real focus on community wellness and a space where people feel comfortable to walk in and get the help they need. This is a key focus for the team, as well as providing key services such as childhood vaccinations in a push to increase the vaccination rates of tamariki and rangatahi within the area.

They are also supporting and encouraging patients to utilise the Patient Portal tool used by the clinic – this enables patients to access test results, order repeat prescriptions and send secure messages to their nurse practitioner.

Tools such as the Patient Portal can help patients feel more in control of their healthcare. An important part of the kaupapa for the clinic is that the patients’ healthcare is led by them, that they are involved in decisions and play an active role in determining their healthcare outcomes. The Patient Portal is a valuable tool which can help the team deliver on that objective.

The clinic’s team of nurse practitioners have been supporting patients who may not previously have been enrolled with a healthcare team. You don’t need to be enrolled at Horowhenua Community Practice to sign up with Kimiora, and the team are actively looking to engage with whānau who are not already enrolled with a healthcare provider.

Since October, over 120 patients who weren’t enrolled with a GPT have now enrolled with Kimiora, and almost 65% of all enrolments are from Māori and Pasifika communities.

Bee Wise, Get Immunised!

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 20:00:01 GMT

This week is World Immunisation Week.

World Immunisation Week aims to highlight the collective action needed to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. The ultimate goal of World Immunisation Week is for more people – and their communities – to be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.

THINK Hauora have this week launched a new campaign encouraging whānau of all ages to roll up their sleeves, bee wise and get immunised.

The campaign aims to highlight a number of vaccines that are often free and readily available on the National Immunisation Schedule. This Schedule details the series of vaccines that are offered free to babies, children, adolescents and adults in New Zealand.

This includes vaccines such as Influenza, Rotovirus, Meningococcal B, MMR, and Tetanus.

THINK Hauora Immunisation Facilitator Abby Davis says that immunisation is the best form of defence against a range of serious diseases and viruses in the MidCentral region.

"Immunisations can help protect the whole whānau - from young pēpi (babies) to our tīpuna (grandparents). Getting immunised against serious diseases means we can protect the ones we love," says Abby.

"Please speak to your GP to ensure you are up to date with your vaccinations. We also offer two weekly childhood immunisation clinics in Palmerston North and Horowhenua."

For more information, visit our Immunisations Page .

Te Ara Rau Access & Choice Win National Award

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 19:44:10 GMT

Last week several Te Ara Rau Access & Choice kaimahi attended the first ever IPMHA (Integrated Primary Mental Health and Addiction) Nationwide Conference in Wellington.

The team had 8 allocated spaces with a mix of kaimahi from THINK Hauora as well as our Iwi and Māori partners presenting a poster depicting the mahi we do here in the MidCentral region with the team taking out first place nationally.

The below is an exert of the poster that was designed:

Ko koe te kaihanga o Apopo you are the architect of your future.
The Eagle flying to the sun is Hokioi symbolising hope.
Hokioi is dropping feathers which are some of the issues and troubles that whānau come to our service wanting support for.
The person at the bottom travelling the steps is the journey people/whānau take to wellness.
The Tararua ranges and Manawatū awa are also featured to show the locality of THINK Hauora.

This achievement is a true testament to Te Ara Rau Access & Choice and the work they do for our communities in the mental health and addiction space. Dean Ward and his daughter (Ngati Raukawa ki te Tonga) were the concept artists for this piece with Adam Holloway as the digital creator. The team was made up of Katrina Watson, Louis Te Mete (Te Mana o Te Tangata) Betty Larrington, Vanessa Sayer, Sharon Harrison Mason (Ngati Kahungunu ki Tamaki Nui a Rua) Lisa Mosen (Rangitane o Tamaki Nui a Rua) and Claudia Nicholson.

Health Care Home achievements for Kauri HealthCare and Tararua Health Group

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 21:34:32 GMT

Kauri HealthCare and Tararua Health Group have achieved important milestones as part of the Health Care Home Model of Care.

Congratulations to Kauri HealthCare for achieving Health Care Home Recertification at a national level. The key to their success was enabling open notes for their patients.

Congratulations also go to Barraud Street Health Centre (Tararua Health Group) for achieving Health Care Home Certification.

The Health Care Home Model of Care incorporates whakawhanaungatanga (creating a relational model) in the delivery of care. Relationship centred care creates better health outcomes for whānau which can be as simple as ensuring that practice information resonates with people in terms of language and visual presentation or enhancing the cultural skills and competencies of staff, including understanding the unconscious bias inherent in many public services.

Our Health Care Home team work with a variety of practices across our rohe on continuous quality improvement. This model of care aims to make improvements within four key areas of general practice:

Urgent/unplanned care (triage process, same day access, wait times)
Proactive care (risk stratification, care planning)
Routine and preventative care (telehealth, patient/whanau engagement, patient portal)
Business sustainability (workforce development, staff training, lean, business processes)

There are three milestones of achievement for Health Care Home – credentialing (local), certification (national) and recertification (national).

THINK Hauora Board appoints interim chief executive

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 20:49:47 GMT

The THINK Hauora Board have this week appointed Mike Grant as the new interim chief executive (CE) of the organisation.

Mike’s appointment follows the departure of longstanding CE Chiquita Hansen who has taken up a new role with Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ as the Te Waipounamu (Southland) Regional Wayfinder.

Mike is well known and regarded in the MidCentral district for his formative and innovative work on the model for Primary and Community Care, including the establishment of Primary Health Organisations. He has had 23 years’ experience working across District Health Boards namely Tairawhiti, Taranaki and MidCentral. While at MidCentral he held several executive leadership roles including deputy CE from 2009 - 2016. More recently, he held the role of CE for Wellington Free Ambulance from 2017 - 2021. Since then, he has been actively working with the THINK Hauora Board and current CE on a number of strategic initiatives.

THINK Hauora Board Chair, Dr Bruce Stewart says the board and senior leadership team are delighted to be working with Mike as their interim CE.

“Having Mike on board is a fantastic opportunity to position ourselves to be at the forefront of the Health Reforms on Primary and Community Care. This interim role will also give the board time to appoint a permanent CE replacement,” says Bruce.

Working with the Iwi Māori Partnership Board and local communities on the development of localities across the region will be one of Mike’s priorities for 2023.

“It’s important we also continue to maintain and enhance communications with our provider networks on the forthcoming changes as well as the innovative programme of work currently underway within THINK Hauora particularly with Iwi and the Maori providers,” says Mike.

“THINK Hauora has, in many ways, been leading the way on achieving Whānau Ora in partnership with Iwi, Māori Hauora providers, NGOs, and Te Whatu Ora - MidCentral. Pae Ora is the next step in this journey to achieve equity of access and enhanced health outcomes. I believe THINK Hauora has the skills, relationships, and credibility to achieve the intentions of the legislation.”

Mike will take on the new role towards the end of January.

Chief Executive moves into new Regional Wayfinder role for Te Whatu Ora

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 22:56:41 GMT

THINK Hauora Chief Executive, Chiquita Hansen has this week been announced as the Te Waipounamu (Southland) Regional Wayfinder for Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ

Te Whatu Ora National Director Commissioning, Abbe Anderson announced the four appointments who will be responsible for providing rangatiratanga leadership to multiple locally based Commissioning teams to support local communities and whānau in the pursuit of Pae Ora.

Among Chiquita, the other appointments include:

Northern Regional Wayfinder - Danny Wu (interim)
Te Manawa Taki Regional Wayfinder - Nicola Ehau
Central Regional Wayfinder - Tricia Keelan

Chiquita has held a variety of nursing leadership roles and has been Chief Executive of MidCentral Primary Health Organisation, THINK Hauora, since 2013. She is currently seconded to Te Whatu Ora on a part-time basis as Co-Director Primary, Community and Rural Early Actions and will be stepping into the Regional Wayfinder role from February 2023.

Chiquita is passionate about whānau and community-led solutions and has strongly advocated a pro-equity approach to health service delivery. She has been influential at a governance level across several National organisations, including General Practice New Zealand (GPNZ), Collaborative Aotearoa, and Health Quality and Safety Patient Experience Survey Governance Group.

“I’m looking forward to working in partnership with iwi, people, whānau, communities, and our primary and community partners to achieve Pae Ora in my new role. I’m very passionate about advancing the locality approach in partnership with the Iwi Māori Partnership Boards while being relentless about achieving equity of outcomes for priority populations,” Chiquita says.

“While bittersweet to be leaving my whānau at THINK Hauora, I know the future is bright for our teams as we continue to work towards striving for equitable health outcomes across our rohe.”

While extremely saddened to be losing the high performing CE, THINK Hauora Board Chair, Dr Bruce Stewart congratulated Chiquita on her appointment to the National health stage.

“With Chiquita’s immense passion, intelligence and work ethic, THINK Hauora has grown and developed into a high performing team supporting our district Primary and Community services,” says Bruce.

“She has strong sector knowledge and the ability to build positive relationships and she holds enormous respect across all areas of the Health and Disability sector in Midcentral and beyond.

We have no doubt she will take this considerable skill set forward for the betterment of the localities of Te Waipounamu.”

“Chiquita has built up a talented and dedicated team and together they have put THINK Hauora in a well-placed position to meet the challenges of the current health reforms and the Post PHO era. The THINK Hauora Trust Board is working quickly to ensure that ongoing dynamic leadership continues under new stewardship.”

Chiquita’s last day with THINK Hauora will be Friday 10 February 2023 and she will commence her new role on Monday 13 February 2023.

Make a list and check it twice

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 22:21:34 GMT

The Christmas holidays are a time for whānau, fun and sunshine but illness and injury can still occur even during the festive season.

If you or someone in your whānau becomes ill over the Christmas period, it’s important to know where you can access healthcare when you need it.

So make a list and check it twice these Christmas holidays by:

Checking to see if your general practice is changing their opening hours by clicking here
Checking to see where your closest available pharmacy is located
Saving the number for Healthline into your phone: 0800 611 116 for free medical advice 24/7 including public holidays like Christmas Day.
Making sure you have enough supply of your regular medication and ensuring you request any due repeat prescriptions in advance. If you are going away on holiday and need more than two weeks’ worth of supply, have a chat to your general practice team about the best way to manage your medications.
For a list of up-to-date information about healthcare providers, referral expectations, services offered and common treatments, visit Healthpoint

If you have a life-threatening emergency, go to your nearest Emergency Department or call 111.

COVID-19 Checklist

Plan Ahead

It is important to understand the risks of how COVID- 19 might affect your holiday. Make sure you have a plan in place if you or any members of your family become infected with COVID-19 including how to get home safely to isolate.

Contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacy well in advance to ensure they can meet all your healthcare needs. Remember, opening hours for your doctor’s general practice and community pharmacy can vary over the break, and may be closed on some days over Christmas and New Year.

Please check you have everything you need to stay well if you’re travelling into remote or rural areas where access to health services may be limited. Many general practices can register you with their Patient Portal. This allows you to book online appointments, order repeat prescriptions, and access your health records when you are on holiday, all from your phone.

When you’re going to be away from home, consider taking a kit that contains rapid antigen tests (RATs), hand sanitiser, masks or face coverings, and your usual prescription and preventative medications.

Keep up to date with your vaccinations

Get up to date with your vaccinations, including any boosters before you go on holiday. This will reduce your chances of getting very sick from COVID-19 and ending up in hospital.

If you have had COVID-19 and are eligible for a booster, you can get it 3 months after you tested positive. A second booster is recommended for those at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 a minimum of 6 months after a first booster.

Antiviral medicines

COVID-19 antiviral medicines can help you if you are at risk of becoming very sick with COVID-19. They reduce the amount of virus in your body to reduce the chance that you get sick enough that you need hospital treatment.

Find out if you’re eligible for free COVID-19 antiviral medicines here or by talking to your healthcare provider now.

If you get COVID-19

You could get COVID-19 while you are away from home on holiday or from work. Have a plan for what you need to do:

Plan how to get home safely to isolate — you can only return home if you or someone you are travelling with can drive there.
Talk through the plan with your travelling companions.
If you cannot drive home, it is likely you will need to stay where you are for your isolation period.

Practice Opening Hours

It’s important you are up to date with your local pharmacy, general practice and telehealth opening hours over the Christmas and holiday periods.

Pharmacists can help you with a range of issues, from coughs and colds, conjunctivitis and hayfever to blood pressure checks and over the counter pain medication. Find your local pharmacy and check their Christmas opening hours here
If your General Practice is closed over the Christmas and holiday period, know where the nearest urgent care clinic is to you – you don’t need an appointment to use the urgent care clinic and they are there for if you suddenly become unwell, have a bad cut, burn, sprain or fracture. For a list of general practice and urgent care opening hours click here
Have you heard of Practice Plus? This telehealth service is a same day, after hours virtual service in partnership with our GP network. Whether it’s for medical advice, repeat prescriptions, or health certificates for your mahi, register for Practice Plus to give you health care options over the Christmas holidays. For more information click here
For free medical advice 24/7 including public holidays like Christmas Day, you can also save the number for Healthline into your phone: 0800 611 116.
For Medlab opening hours click here
For a list of radiology opening hours click here

Mauri Sports Programme

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 22:11:08 GMT

Equity is at the forefront of all we strive for at THINK Hauora.

The Mauri Sports Programme is an initiative that provides a fun, active and cultural experience in sport that has a holistic focus on health and wellbeing. It is an opportunity for tamariki and rangatahi to access a programme that will develop leadership skills, mental resilience, cultural awareness, strength and conditioning. It extends their technical and tactical knowledge in the game of touch rugby all while breaking the cycle, reducing barriers and reaching those who need it.

The programme evolved from an initiative where THINK Hauora kaimahi were providing coaching support for two local touch rugby clubs in Palmerston North linked to the Poly Sports Programme. THINK Hauora also provided some education around health literacy, conducted health checks and helped to reduce costs for whānau involved by eliminating fees.

The vision for the Mauri Sports Programme is to use sport as a vehicle to connect whānau with wellbeing. Through a holistic focus and approach with sport, this incorporates three elements - Mauri Ora (healthy individuals), Whānau Ora (healthy families) and Wai Ora (healthy environments) that all interconnect. Through research, there was an obvious rise in mental health issues with the drop of physical activity around the ages 13-15. The programme begins with introducing sport to tamariki early, around age 5.

Connecting Communities Lead for Pasifika & Rangatahi, Pele Aumua believes that relationships are at the heart of cultural practice and ways of doing things; whakapapa and whanaungatanga are therefore central principles to incorporate within Mauri Sports.

“Our strategic intent is to create a platform using sport as the vehicle to build pathways that connect whānau to wellbeing in whatever way that looks for them,” says Pele.

“If this initiative can be an example of how we utilise sport in a more holistic and meaningful way, then our next generation will have more tools to help them navigate the spaces they enter.”

“Using sport means we are not competing for the community’s time. Instead, we are strategically working with them to guide their dreams and aspirations which in turn will help them fulfil their potential in life.”

There are a number of stakeholders involved in the success of this programme; from schools, clubs, businesses, and Government organisations with special mention to the following:

Aumaia Touch Club (Dion Ponga)
FOB’s Touch Club (Jade Igasia)
Takaro School (Josie Victor)
Te Kura o Wairau (Teena Johnson)
Waka Kotahi & Te Ahu a Turanga (Grant Kauri)
Turbine Residential (Fiona & Shaun Mainwaring)
Patersons Plastering and Decorating (James & Sara Paterson)

One step at a time

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:45:53 GMT

Did you know that nearly 30% of the adult New Zealand population have either pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes?

Diabetes can be very complex and with it, come with a number of health threats such as foot ulcerations and poor blood circulation.

Meet Neville Turnbull. Neville is based in Horowhenua and has Type 2 Diabetes.

For the past 7 years, Neville has been a regular patient of Gita Pragji, a specialist Diabetes Podiatrist for THINK Hauora located in Horowhenua.

THINK Hauora offer a Diabetes Specialist Podiatry Service with expert podiatrists like Gita working hard to educate, prevent complications, and pick up early warning signs on a patients’ legs and feet as a direct result of a diabetes diagnosis.

This service can talk you through caring for your feet including these important points:

Checking your feet regularly for signs of damage
Washing and drying your feet thoroughly
Keeping the skin between your toes clean and dry
Applying moisturiser to help stop your toes and feet from drying out (but not between your toes)
Having well-fitted shoes (not too loose or too tight) which ideally should cover your feet to avoid dryness

Neville has a long history with pressure point sores on his feet getting infected. When he first met Gita, these sores were a danger to him having the potential to lose his feet and compromise his leg and foot functionality. Due to poor circulation from his legs down, there would often be times where Neville wouldn’t realise that he’d injured himself.

Gita believes that developing a rapport with her patients is one of the best ways to pick up early warning signs and take the necessary steps to manage their conditions.

“Diabetes podiatry is a long and ongoing journey that requires education and multi-disciplinary care. By developing positive relationships with my patients, they have the ability to self-manage and are quick to report back when they notice something not quite right,” Gita says.

For Neville, this rings true. At the beginning of his journey, he was visiting Gita every month. Now he sees her every three to four months.

“Working with Gita keeps me on the straight and narrow and ensures I get the right antibiotics and dressings and means I can pick up on the early warning signs of pre-ulcer lesions as well as any other risk factors that could compromise my leg or foot health,” says Neville.

In conjunction with diabetes care and advice, Gita believes that any diabetes podiatry patient can manage their conditions preventatively.

“We really need to encourage our high risk populations such as Māori and Pasifika to have regular diabetes screening done.”

“It can often be a long journey of education and multi-disciplinary care, but if we do our job right, our patients can be good mentors for the friends and whānau and better yet, don’t end up in hospital and face losing a limb.”

To find out more about our Diabetes Podiatry Service, click here .

Increasing knowledge to better serve whānau

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 21:16:16 GMT

Diabetes can be very complex and it can often be daunting working with people who have diabetes.

Nearly 30% of the adult New Zealand population have either pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes. It is essential that all of us who work in primary care are equipped to work effectively with people with diabetes. This is so people with diabetes can improve their health in the here and now, and avoid the long term complications of diabetes.

THINK Hauora facilitate a Diabetes Care and Management Course biannually that focuses on increasing practitioner knowledge. This in turn helps better support families on their journey with diabetes.

The Diabetes Care and Management Course aims to help primary care providers to feel more comfortable, knowledgeable and skilled when it comes to working with patients and their families living with diabetes.

Louise Farmer is a Clinical Nurse Specialist: Diabetes for THINK Hauora and is one of the facilitators of the course. She believes that one of the course’s main focuses is on increasing practitioner’s knowledge while providing them with tools and ideas for working in mana enhancing and strengths-based ways.

“The participants have the opportunity on the course to practice consultation and listening styles that help to put families at the centre of their journey with diabetes,” she says.

The course provides simple techniques that can help participants guide every consult towards a positive and effective outcome.

“It links them to the most up to date and accessible decision support tools and also allows them to network with other colleagues who work in the diabetes space”.

The most recent course, which was held back in September, hosted 60 participants from a range of backgrounds including primary health care nurses, nurse practitioner candidates, secondary care nurses, pharmacists and exercise physiologists. There was overwhelming support for the course and how it was received. . Some of the comments included:

“The course was a wealth of knowledge and practice advice that is user-friendly for our patients.”

“The course provided good practical and clinical assessment guidance with great tips on how to engage patients in getting and staying active.”

The two-day course is delivered by a range of people who all work in primary health care. These include Diabetes Nurse Specialists, Exercise Physiologists, Dietitians and Clinical Pharmacologists.

Walking the Walk

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 20:23:19 GMT

Movement through physical activity and exercise helps us feel better physically and mentally. Exercise intervention can help reduce the risk of long-term conditions. Our Physical Activity Education Service can work with you one-on-one, or in a group setting to help you learn more about improving your wellbeing through exercise.

Meet Tui Saumala. Tui was referred by his GP for support with his physical activity to help him manage his type 2 diabetes.

Tui was referred to Grant Hansen, Clinical Exercise Physiologist Team Leader for THINK Hauora in January to support Tui to establish an in-home exercise programme.

Tui's results after 12 weeks with the programme showed an 11.3% increase in his walking distance with the 6-minute walk test. He can now do things more confidently, is in control of his depression and the daily family stressors, feels stable on his feet, is not as tired in the afternoons, no longer gets cramp and the original pain he experienced in his right leg has gone.

Following the 12-week programme, Tui is confident that he can self-manage his own physical activity. Tui feels he has enough equipment and knowledge to be able to exercise at home and plans to keep active with his family by going for bike rides at the Esplanade.

"Since starting this programme with Grant Hansen there has been huge progress in my health and my motivation. I am very honoured to have this opportunity to grow and transition, and to reach my goal to have my diabetes reversed in the future so I can be with my young family. Thank you to Grant Hansen and THINK Hauora as I now have the well-being to succeed” 

- Tui Saumala

Cook Street Health Centre Achieves Credentialing

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 20:57:55 GMT

Congratulations to Cook Street Health Centre who have achieved the Credentialing level of our Health Care Home (HCH) Programme.

Earlier this week, Ashleigh Blackbourn, Clinical Lead - Acute & Health Care Home and Ehsan Tehseen, Network Sustainability Manager presented Cook Street Medical with their Health Care Home Credentialing.

There are three levels of achievement: Credentialing, Certification, and Re-Certification.

Cook Street Health Centre have worked incredibility hard over the last year at improving the service they provide to their patients and whānau. This has included:

improved acute demand access and management
patient and whanau engagement to develop equity-based initiatives and co-design
providing extended hours for routine care
utilising telehealth to provide alternatives to face-to-face appointments
promoting portal usage to remove barriers and empower patients to manage their health information
regular review of call metrics to ensure patients have timely access to health services
implementing Lean methodologies such as visual boards, rooms standardisation and daily huddles to improve workflows

Congratulations to the team at Cook Street Health Centre especially the members of the dedicated HCH team - Jane, Elvina and Krystal.

Poly Paddling to Safety

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 02:29:09 GMT

With Term 4 school holidays nearly done and dusted, local tamariki made a splash all in the name of water safety, survival and wellbeing.

The THINK Hauora Poly Paddles programme is a flagship programme that has been running for the past four years. The two-week water survival swimming programme for 5-11 year old Māori and Pasifika children promotes water activities that focus on improving wellbeing and quality of life through aerobics, balance, flexibility and strength.

The free programme also covers skills such as:

Submersion - getting under the water
Personal Buoyancy - staying afloat
Water Safety & Awareness
Orientation in the Water
Propulsion - moving through the water

There are two sessions held at the Lido Aquatic Centre in Palmerston North and the Levin Aquatic Centre in Horowhenua during most school holidays. Last term, a total of 42 children attended the programme all learning vital water safety skills for the future.

Connecting Communities Lead for Pasifika & Rangatahi, Pele Aumua believes that this programme is vital in bridging the gap of inequity amongst Māori and Pasifika tamariki.

“Programmes like Poly Paddles also give our team the opportunity to identify and further develop collaborative opportunities that will support the improvements in health and wellbeing of our Pasifika and Māori communities,” he says.

Feedback from whānau also demonstrated the importance of facilitating these fully funded programmes.

“The programme was awesome. My kids enjoyed it and looked forward to doing it again. They enjoyed this more then normal swimming lessons we've done in the past and had lots of fun. Thank you for providing this as a free service,” says one whānau member.

The recent school holidays was also an opportunity to bring a more holistic approach to tamariki’s wellbeing with Palmerston North City Library attending to register children for the upcoming Summer Reading Programme and clinical dietitians coming in to teach tamariki about making healthy choices.

The programme is funding by the Sport Manawatū Tu Manawa Fund.

Welcoming Ashhurst Health Care

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 04:01:29 GMT

The wait is over for Ashhurst, Pohangina and neighbouring residents needing to access primary health care.

On Monday 19 September, Ashhurst Health Care officially opened their doors. This is a significant milestone for the rural community in order for patients to access primary health care more easily.

The clinic is owned and operated by Feilding Health Partners, in a former house substantially rebuilt for the Ashhurst Community Trust. It will be open on weekdays from 8.30am to 5pm. Patients needing after hours or weekend care will need to access to evening and weekend clinics in Feilding.

The first week of opening we will be focusing on enrolments. There are a few ways you can enrol yourself and your family at Ashhurst Health Care. If you live in Ashhurst, Pohangina and the surrounding areas, you can enrol:

Online now at www.ashhursthealthcare.nz
Phone the clinic between Monday and Friday from 8.30am to 5pm on 06 888 7483
Pop in and see us in-person at our clinic on 111 Cambridge Avenue, Ashhurst.

GP, Dr Paul Cooper is on site two days a week, with Stacey Pearpoint as a nurse practitioner, and Angela McEntee as a registered nurse.

A health improvement practitioner would be visiting for mental health support, and Ashhurst patients can be directed to Feilding for services including some women’s health, ear cleaning and physiotherapy care.

The village currently does not have a pharmacy, but a depot at the village dairy receives deliveries of prescribed medicines twice a week with the hopes this will be increased to a daily service.

Latest information on Covid-19

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 02:08:55 GMT

From 11:59pm on Monday 12 September, the Covid-19 traffic light system was retired. With cases reducing, a highly vaccinated population, and comprehensive access to anti-viral medicines, New Zealand can safely move forward.

Update on masks

All mask requirements have been removed, except for visitors in certain healthcare settings.

You must wear a mask when visiting one of our healthcare services like hospitals, a doctor’s clinic, pharmacies, community/iwi health providers and aged care as well as disability-related residential facilities. For more information visit: https://covid19.govt.nz/.../face-masks/wearing-a-face-mask/

You can still pick up free medical masks (and P2/N95 masks for those at higher risk of severe illness). You do not need to be unwell or have COVID-19 symptoms. You still need to order through the Request free COVID-19 RAT kits website. For more information visit: https://covid19.govt.nz/.../face.../wearing-a-face-mask/...

Isolation requirements

If you test positive for COVID-19, you still need to self-isolate for 7 days. Start counting from Day 0, which is the day your symptoms started or when you tested positive – whichever came first. Household Contacts are no longer required to self-isolate.

Make sure to monitor yourself for symptoms for 10 days from when the first person in your household tests positive. As always, if you feel unwell or develop any COVID, cold or flu symptoms, stay home until 24 hours after your symptoms resolve and take a test. If you test positive you must self-isolate for 7 days.

You can find more information for Household Contacts here: https://covid19.govt.nz/.../contact.../household-contacts/

Vaccination requirements

You will no longer need to be vaccinated to enter New Zealand. People arriving in New Zealand from overseas will continue to receive free RATs at the airport and will be encouraged to test on day 0/1 and 5/6. You can find more information for preparing to travel to New Zealand here: https://covid19.govt.nz/.../preparing-to-travel-to-new.../

All remaining vaccine mandates will end except for health and disability workers. This will end on 11:59pm, 26 September 2022. A decision will be made within two weeks around vaccination requirements for all new and existing THINK Hauora kaimahi.

Anti-viral Medication

Anti-viral medicines will be available for free to any New Zealander 65+ who tests positive for COVID-19. For Māori and Pacific peoples, these medicines will be available for free to anyone aged 50+ who tests positive. In addition, anyone with three high-risk conditions is eligible for free anti-viral medicines. You can find more information here: https://covid19.govt.nz/.../medicines-to-treat-covid-19/

Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT)

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 22:24:04 GMT

Rapid antigen tests (RATs) are currently Aotearoa New Zealand’s primary testing tool for people with COVID-19 symptoms or household contacts. Testing is free for those with symptoms and/or who are household contacts.

Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should stay at home and get tested. If your RAT result is negative but your symptoms continue or worsen, continue to stay at home and take a further test 48 hours later.

All COVID-19 testing for those with symptoms and/or who are household contacts is free.

Recording your RAT result

You should report the results of your rapid antigen test (RAT) whether you test positive or negative. You can do this online through My Covid Record .

Login to My Covid Record .
Click 'Report a test result'
Follow the steps.

The resources below show if you need a test, how to take a RAT:

The Village App

Tue, 24 May 2022 01:55:19 GMT

Empowering young people to take control of their mental wellbeing

The Village App is an evidence-based app, clinically researched and developed by Starship experts to support young people going through tough times.

Co-designed with rangatahi and whānau in mind, the App was founded on the premise that it takes a village to raise a child. It supports young people to connect and share their feelings with trusted friends and family, called buddies. The buddies are in turn guided by the app about how to best respond to their needs.

Based on proven principles of whānau-ora, e-health, peer support and self-help, Village is a safe and guided space for young people to process their emotions and works effectively alongside counselling or therapy for extra support.

Help our rangatahi and get connected today.

For further information and to download the app, visit www.villageapp.kiwi

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think_hauora

Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CEP)

Palmerston North

1x Full-time, Permanent

Immunisations Co-ordinator

Palmerston North

1x Full-time, Permanent

Opportunity for experienced GP at City Doctors, White Cross

GP, City doctors

Health Care Assistant - Permanent part time

Nurse Practitioner - Prescriber

Kimiora, Levin

1x Full-time

THINK Hauora Appoints New Board Chair

Levin Better Breathing Programme Celebrates Milestone 50th Programme

Programme Coordinator, Here Toitū

Programme Coordinator, Here Toitū

Part-Time, Fixed-Term

Palmerston North

New Health Collaboration Agreement To Boost Regional Innovation

Media Release - New Health Collaboration Agreement To Boost Regional Innovation

6 September, 2024

Newly qualified Practice Assistants look to support nurses and doctors in busy winter months

Media Release from: THINK Hauora PHO

July 5, 2024

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THINK Hauora And Horowhenua Community Practice - Moving Premises

THINK Hauora statement: Health Budget 24....

Te Whatu Ora visit to MidCentral region 16 May 2024

THINK Hauora and UCOL Te Pūkenga introduce Rainbow Health Scholarship

THINK Hauora and UCOL Te Pūkenga are proud to announce the first Rainbow Health scholarship for ākonga who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community and are studying in an area of health, excluding nursing.

Te Pūkenga and THINK Hauora collaborate in effort to increase skilled healthcare support workforce

​Te Pūkenga business divisions Careerforce and UCOL are working collaboratively to support THINK Hauora with the general practice (primary care) workforce in the Manawatū region to upskill and gain a recognised qualification.

General practice organisations reject Government funding increase

General practice organisations have rejected the Government’s proposed 5 per cent increase in general practice funding from July 1, saying that an increase of at least 14 per cent is needed to keep services going.

International Nurses Day

Kia ora koutou and happy International Nurses Day to all our nurses across the network.

Kimiora

Bee Wise, Get Immunised!

Te Ara Rau Access & Choice Win National Award

Last week several Te Ara Rau Access & Choice kaimahi attended the first ever IPMHA (Integrated Primary Mental Health and Addiction) Nationwide Conference in Wellington.

Health Care Home achievements for Kauri HealthCare and Tararua Health Group

Kauri HealthCare and Tararua Health Group have achieved important milestones as part of the Health Care Home Model of Care.

THINK Hauora Board appoints interim chief executive

The THINK Hauora Board have this week appointed Mike Grant as the new interim chief executive (CE) of the organisation.

Chief Executive moves into new Regional Wayfinder role for Te Whatu Ora

THINK Hauora Chief Executive, Chiquita Hansen has this week been announced as the Te Waipounamu (Southland) Regional Wayfinder for Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ

Make a list and check it twice

The Christmas holidays are a time for whānau, fun and sunshine but illness and injury can still occur even during the festive season.

Mauri Sports Programme

Equity is at the forefront of all we strive for at THINK Hauora.

One step at a time

Did you know that nearly 30% of the adult New Zealand population have either pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes?

Increasing knowledge to better serve whānau

Diabetes can be very complex and it can often be daunting working with people who have diabetes.

Walking the Walk

Cook Street Health Centre Achieves Credentialing

Congratulations to Cook Street Health Centre who have achieved the Credentialing level of our Health Care Home (HCH) Programme.

Poly Paddling to Safety

With Term 4 school holidays nearly done and dusted, local tamariki made a splash all in the name of water safety, survival and wellbeing.

Welcoming Ashhurst Health Care

The wait is over for Ashhurst, Pohangina and neighbouring residents needing to access primary health care.

Latest information on Covid-19

From 11:59pm on Monday 12 September, the Covid-19 traffic light system was retired. With cases reducing, a highly vaccinated population, and comprehensive access to anti-viral medicines, New Zealand can safely move forward.

Update on masks

Isolation requirements

Vaccination requirements

Anti-viral Medication

Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT)

Rapid antigen tests (RATs) are currently Aotearoa New Zealand’s primary testing tool for people with COVID-19 symptoms or household contacts. Testing is free for those with symptoms and/or who are household contacts.

The Village App

Te Pūkenga business divisions Careerforce and UCOL are working collaboratively to support THINK Hauora with the general practice (primary care) workforce in the Manawatū region to upskill and gain a recognised qualification.