Latest news with #HealthNZTeWhatuOra
Otago Daily Times
24-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
After-hours healthcare services to be improved
People in need of health services in Oamaru will find it easier to be assessed out-of-hours after a funding boost. As part of a number of key Budget 2025 initiatives announced by the government, Oamaru has been marked for improved after-hour services starting next year. Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher welcomed the news Oamaru would have its after-hours services improved. "The after-hours emergency department has always been a critical service provided by Oamaru Hospital, so it is great to see that Health NZ is making further improvements to support our wider Waitaki community. "A significant proportion of our population will benefit and, in a time when government funding is under huge pressure, it's awesome to hear that this service will be improved." Health NZ Te Whatu Ora acting funding and investment director Jason Power said the services would be tailored for local need and workforce availability. "This is about putting patients first — whether they live in a small rural town or a large city. "The government has announced significant investment to maintain existing urgent and after-hours care services and to deliver new and improved services where they are needed. "Health New Zealand will now work with providers and the workforce to ensure that these services can be delivered," he said. "This is a complex work programme and implementation will occur over the next two years. Our primary care teams will work with the sector and other key agencies such as ACC on key next steps. "We're modernising how care is delivered so patients can access urgent help more easily and reliably. That means flexible care teams, better use of digital tools and investing in the workforce to ensure services remain sustainable and available when people need them most." Health Minister Simeon Brown said the moves were about ensuring that people can get timely, quality care when they need it. "This investment means South Islanders will have faster access to care, with shorter trips and more treatment available locally — especially outside of normal hours — while reducing pressure on emergency departments." As part of the funding package a new after-hours service will be trialled in Twizel. "Budget 2025 is investing $164million over four years to strengthen urgent and after-hours care nationwide, meaning 98% of Kiwis will be able to access these services within one hour's drive of their home," Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey said. The funding includes targeted support for more than 70 rural and remote communities, including after-hours support, 24/7 on-call in-person clinical support and improved access to diagnostics and medicines.
Scoop
11-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Nearly $3m Wasted On Consultants Hired To Plan Axing Of Health Workers
Consultants and contractors are the winners from the large-scale axing of health workers, pocketing nearly $3 million in precious health dollars since late 2023. Between October 2023 and February 2025, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora paid out $2.8 million to external contractors and consultants to help the organisation manage the restructure of various teams (as revealed by NZ Herald today). During that time Health NZ Te Whatu Ora axed hundreds of workers across the organisation including IT specialists, those promoting child health, workers in community and mental health services, and in Māori and Pacific health services. "This is a waste of money as none of these cuts needed to be made and our public health system is the worst for them," said Fleur Fitzsimons National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. "The restructures were all driven by the Government's blunt approach to finding money down the back of every sofa to fund its tax cuts for landlords, big tobacco and others and not what was good for the health system." "Without doubt Health NZ will rely on more consultants in the future as its proposing to slash its People and Culture services (human resources) by 21% or 338 roles. "The public health system has been starved of money by this government. It should have been expanding the Health NZ workforce and not paying expensive consultants to help lay off so many loyal workers. It's a slap in the face for those shown the door." The 16 consultants used include major companies like KPMG, Robert Walters, PwC, Momentum and Buddle Findlay. "It's ironic that this money was spent when National made such big promises to cut down on consultant spending during the election campaign in 2023." Today's revelation comes on top of the $10.8m spent on consultants for restructures by 20 other agencies to December 2024 as revealed by BusinessDesk. This includes $3m by Kāinga Ora alone which has axed hundreds of workers. "The PSA remains opposed to these cuts and will resist any further downsizing of the public health workforce which ultimately impacts patient care at the frontline."
NZ Herald
11-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Whanganui toddler rushed to Starship after shock blood results
Parents Danielle Simpson and Matt Hull took Zavier to a GP because he was having issues with walking. 'We've always thought he may have had a developmental delay with his legs, so we just wanted to get the ball rolling to see if there were exercises he could do or if we needed to see a specialist,' Simpson said. Zavier was sent to the paediatric ward at Whanganui Hospital to have blood tests. 'That evening, they called and said he needed to come back within an hour to be flown to Starship,' Simpson said. The Whanganui results showed Zavier's kidneys were operating at around 8%. After further testing in Auckland, the kidney diagnosis was made. A Health NZ Te Whatu Ora spokesperson said there were five children aged 3 years or under currently having kidney dialysis in New Zealand. 'There are 11 children in total up to 16 years old having dialysis.' If a kidney match is found, Zavier will spend at least another month at Starship. Until then, he needs daily dialysis at home in Whanganui, with a flight to Auckland once a week. 'Apart from his legs, he seemed perfectly healthy, and even now, he still seems exactly the same,' Simpson said. 'That's been really hard to wrap our heads around. '[The specialists] said if he were an adult, he would be bedridden – really, really sick.' She said an initial potassium reading showed Zavier's level was 16%, with a healthy level for a child his age being between 3% and just under 5%. Advertise with NZME. 'If you have too much potassium in your body, it can lead to a heart attack, so a whole lot of professionals ran in and hooked him up to machines in case that happened,' she said. 'That was horrible. We were mentally preparing to say goodbye to our son if they weren't able to help him.' A rerun of bloods showed the first result as inaccurate. 'It's no one's fault, it was just very, very traumatic,' Simpson said. 'Honestly, everyone has been incredible. When we leave here, we have to make regular donations to Starship and Ronald McDonald House. 'Every single person we've encountered has been amazing.' Simpson said while at Starship, she and Matt would be taught how to use Zavier's dialysis machine. A Givealittle page has been set up to help the family. They have two other children, and 'life has to go on back home', she said. 'I've definitely hit the stage of 'Why him? This isn't fair'. 'Even if he gets a transplant, we will have to do it all over again down the line. 'His whole life is going to be different.'
NZ Herald
08-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Far North Council approves smokefree policy amid vaping health concerns
More than 50 other local councils last year had policies that designated council areas as smoke and vape-free. Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said he gave up vaping after seeing the item on the agenda, joking: 'that is why I am a bit grumpy sometimes.' He said he is fully behind the motion and encouraged other council members to lead by example. 'We are late to the party, our cousin councils already put stuff like this on the line and it only makes sense to have a policy like this.' Tepania wanted the council to lead by example. 'Like I would like our staff to stop smoking and vaping in front of our offices and use the smoke shed in the back,' he said. 'It's important if we are going to be regulators of a smokefree/vapefree policy.' The Far North District Council's policy would allow it to designate council-owned or administered public spaces as smokefree and to ensure signage identified the areas, as well as commit to partnering with relevant stakeholders to promote the areas. Council's group manager for planning and policy Roger Ackers said council is considering at today's meeting the staff recommendation to create a standalone smokefree/vape-free policy for the Far North. He said if the recommendation goes ahead, then council staff would engage with Health NZ Te Whatu Ora, other organisations, and the wider community to design the policy and look into costs and logistics. A draft policy and an implementation plan would then be presented to the council for consultation and adoption. A research report which investigates developing a smokefree/vape-free policy for the Far North stated the socio-demographic make-up of the district presented unique challenges for the population in relation to smoking and vaping. 'Smoking rates are higher in the Far North than nationally,' the report said. 'In the 2023 Census, 13% of those aged 15 or more from the Far North said they smoked tobacco regularly compared with 8% nationally.' The report said a smokefree/vape-free policy may potentially impact all community members as well as visitors who may be exposed to second-hand tobacco and vape smoke in public places owned or administered by the council. 'A standalone non-regulatory policy will align with the approach of other Northland local councils and with other councils across New Zealand. 'It will provide clear guidance regarding council-owned and administered areas where smoking is discouraged,' the report said. The council's decision to consider a vaping/smoking policy comes as a recent study published in the Nicotine and Tobacco Research Journal has for the first time linked vaping to a life-limiting and irreversible lung disease. The study found e-cigarette use is strongly associated with increased new diagnoses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in New Zealand. Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ chief executive Letitia Harding said the study confirmed what was long suspected, that vaping was not just risky, it was dangerous to people's health. 'For years, we've been gaslighted into believing vaping is harmless – or at least 'less harmful' than cigarettes – meanwhile, we've watched teen vaping rates skyrocket," Harding said. 'Vaping is not harmless – it never has been – and this study shows it causes long-term irreversible lung damage.' Harding said the study, which tracked 250,000 people over about three-and-a-half years, should be a significant wake-up call to the Government to tighten regulations even further. 'Let's stop pretending we're balancing harm reduction with consumer freedom - vaping isn't harm reduction, it's harm transfer.' Director of health promotion at Te Whatu Ora, Kathrine Clarke said they remain committed to addressing vaping, particularly youth vaping nationally. '[We] are running a number of campaigns and initiatives to support youth to remain smokefree and vapefree.'
NZ Herald
07-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Far North Council seeks smokefree policy amid vaping health concerns
More than 50 other local councils last year had policies that designated council areas as smoke and vape-free. The Far North District Council's policy would allow it to designate council-owned or administered public spaces as smokefree and to ensure signage identified the areas, as well as commit to partnering with relevant stakeholders to promote the areas. Council's group manager for planning and policy Roger Ackers said council is considering at today's meeting the staff recommendation to create a standalone smokefree/vape-free policy for the Far North. He said if the recommendation goes ahead, then council staff would engage with Health NZ Te Whatu Ora, other organisations, and the wider community to design the policy and look into costs and logistics. A draft policy and an implementation plan would then be presented to the council for consultation and adoption. A research report which investigates developing a smokefree/vape-free policy for the Far North stated the socio-demographic make-up of the district presented unique challenges for the population in relation to smoking and vaping. 'Smoking rates are higher in the Far North than nationally,' the report said. 'In the 2023 Census, 13% of those aged 15 or more from the Far North said they smoked tobacco regularly compared with 8% nationally.' The report said a smokefree/vape-free policy may potentially impact all community members as well as visitors who may be exposed to second-hand tobacco and vape smoke in public places owned or administered by the council. 'A standalone non-regulatory policy will align with the approach of other Northland local councils and with other councils across New Zealand. 'It will provide clear guidance regarding council-owned and administered areas where smoking is discouraged,' the report said. The council's decision to consider a vaping/smoking policy comes as a recent study published in the Nicotine and Tobacco Research Journal has for the first time linked vaping to a life-limiting and irreversible lung disease. The study found e-cigarette use is strongly associated with increased new diagnoses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in New Zealand. Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ chief executive Letitia Harding said the study confirmed what was long suspected, that vaping was not just risky, it was dangerous to people's health. 'For years, we've been gaslighted into believing vaping is harmless – or at least 'less harmful' than cigarettes – meanwhile, we've watched teen vaping rates skyrocket," Harding said. 'Vaping is not harmless – it never has been – and this study shows it causes long-term irreversible lung damage.' Harding said the study, which tracked 250,000 people over about three-and-a-half years, should be a significant wake-up call to the Government to tighten regulations even further. 'Let's stop pretending we're balancing harm reduction with consumer freedom - vaping isn't harm reduction, it's harm transfer.' Director of health promotion at Te Whatu Ora, Kathrine Clarke said they remain committed to addressing vaping, particularly youth vaping nationally. '[We] are running a number of campaigns and initiatives to support youth to remain smokefree and vapefree.'
