2014 May Connect+

Connect + A COUNTIES MANUKAU HEALTH PUBLICATION

MAY 2014

Act now to prevent the flu Give a kidney, change a life What is health literacy?

The Harley Gray Building is officially open

From the Chair Welcome to this May issue of Connect+. I would like to start by thanking all of the dedicated staff who are working so hard as winter begins to bite. The winter busy time has started early for us this year, with more than the usual number of days with more than 100% occupancy.

I would like to take this opportunity to talk with you about Project Swift, an acronym for System Wide Information for Transformation.

Project Swift is our response to the calls from our clinicians to be more efficient with our resources through the use of modern information technology. We are focussing on two areas – efficiency, so we improve the quality of healthcare, and integrating information technology across primary, community, home and hospital, which we call whole-of-system care.

Contents Harley Gray Building opening

3

History wall in Harley Gray foyer

3

Give a kidney, change a life

4

Act now to prevent flu

5

Harley Gray opening photo spread

6

This strategy fits well within our Triple Aim; that is looking at the health of a population, their experience of care and the per capita cost. The intelligent use of information technology has transformed other industries such as travel and banking. There is no reason why the same efficiencies cannot be transferred into health, giving both the end user and the provider a much better experience and improving outcomes through better, faster and more informed care.

Free vasectomies

8

MEWS improves safety of birthing mothers

8

Health Literacy

9

Meet the GMs of our four localities

9

This is a very exciting time for us as a health board, as we look at how we can be the best health care provider we can possibly be. Because of the pressure of our diversity and the sheer size of our community, which is continuing to grow, we cannot just keep doing business as usual. We need Project Swift to help move us into a future where we can access global expertise in healthcare and health system transformation and translate that into better health care services for us and our community.

Beyond 20,000 Days Healthy Hearts

10

Book Fair helps kids to hear

10

3000 donors needed

10

New qualification for orderlies

11

Food for Families a great success

11

New smokefree service a success

12

APAC heads to Melbourne

12

Please understand that this is not a one-off programme or a simple change in the technology we use every day. It is a major rethink of how we can use technology to save time and resources making it much easier for people to use our services as well as reducing duplication and waste. Just think about the travel industry and how it has improved to serve its customers and that will give you a very small idea of what we can achieve together in health. I look forward to working with you on this challenge.

Best wishes Dr Lee Mathias,

CM Health produces Connect+ three times a year. If you have something to share, or would like to receive a copy of this publication, please contact the Communications Team via email, communications@middlemore.co.nz.

Chairperson, CM Health.

Patient feedback rge Nurse Thank you Rochelle (Cha nursing staff Manager) and the total ithout a good under your guidance. W staff. You set leader you don’t have good he happiness a magnificent example. T ings, a smile, of life is made up of little th laughter. It a hug, a moment of shared ures & gentlest is often life's smallest pleas & most joys that make the biggest e who bring lasting differences and thos ers cannot keep sunshine to the lives of oth nk you all for it from themselves – Tha al nursing. your brilliant & profession CO O N N EC T + I PAG PAGEE 2

Really enjoyed my stay here, the nurses were awesome, always friendly and made me feel comfortable. There wasn’t a time where I was unhappy with services provided. Staff were the best though making me forget I was in hospital most of the time and always making sure I was taken care of. Everyone was so friendly from the orderlies to people delivering food, to the cleaner; everyone was so fantastic at doing their jobs. Loved it 10/10.

WARD 8 STAFF ROCK!!

Alison and Sue from C asting Unit/ Ortho, these two ladies worked tirelessly to sort out the fitting of the vest and halo. They were ex tremely kind, considerate and perseve red until it was correct even going to the extent of hand sewing some of it so it wo uld fit better and be more comfortabl e. They are a huge asset to your orga nisation and deserve to be recognised for their skill in some way. My wife also appreciated being listened to and ac tually heard by these delightful ladies.

Opening the Harley Gray Building with Hon. Tony Ryall (far right) are: Geraint Martin, CEO, CM Health, Dr Lee Mathais, Chair, Margaret Gray and Professor Harley Gray.

Harley Gray Building opening History wall in Harley Gray foyer

On Friday 11 April Hon Tony Ryall, Minister of Health opened a new $190 million clinical services block at Middlemore Hospital, named after eminent orthopaedic surgeon Dr Harley Gray.

“Five stories tall and the size of five rugby fields, the Harley Gray Building will help CM Health to deliver improved health services in a region of rapid population grown and high health need,” says Mr Ryall.

“Counties Manukau DHB now has a facility that matches the high standards of patient care provided by its dedicated staff.”

“The building took years to plan and just under 2 years to build,” says Dr Lee Mathias, Chair CM Health. “The design is modern and welcoming with dedicated spaces for family/whaanau.

“It took a huge effort to get the building up and running. Well done to everyone involved.”

“The new spaces are bigger, better and brighter, providing a highly functioning environment to provide quality care to our patients,” says Dr Gloria Johnson, CM Health Chief Medical Officer.

“Staff, patients and families are noticing the improvements.”

Special guests at the opening included Professor Harley Gray and his family. Dr Gray, a former President of the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association and the Auckland Medico Legal Society, was an orthopaedic surgeon at Middlemore until 2001. He was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2003.

Over the years staff have expressed a strong desire to create a history wall and display items of interest from the hospital’s early days. When the Harley Gray Building was being designed the history wall concept finally came to fruition.

The wall’s central location, in the heart of the hospital, was chosen to maximise public exposure and to provide a point of interest to the hospital’s main visitor waiting area. In a time of stress, the history wall provides a visual

distraction as visitors get a glimpse into the past and a sense of how far Middlemore Hospital has come over the past 67 years.

There are more items to be displayed and since the cabinets have been installed, many departments have come forward with interesting and valuable pieces.

Next time you’re walking past, take the time to have a look.

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Give a kidney, change a life

Geraint Martin, 'Elvis' and Tony Ryall got together at the 'Give a Kidney – Change a Life' event.

It’s not every day that Elvis Presley, the Minister of Health, kidney patients and local dignitaries gather in Mangere.

But March 25 was a special occasion.

Over 500 people, including Mangere MP Su’a Williams and CM Health CEO Geraint Martin, came together for ‘Give a Kidney – Change a Life’ at Mangere Town Centre.

The event celebrated the launch of Live Kidney Donation Aotearoa’s package of educational resources, part of a project led by CM Health in partnership with the Kidney Society Auckland, which is aimed at increasing the number of people donating kidneys to patients with end stage renal disease. The culturally appropriate educational resources will help build knowledge and skills amongst potential kidney donors, kidney patients and their whaanau so they can make informed decisions.

To promote live kidney donation, the project is also focusing on: • Healthcare professionals – providing education sessions to enable primary care providers to share appropriate information on live kidney donation with patients and build health literacy; implementing a ‘Home and Kidney First’ CO N N EC T + I PAG E 4

policy at CM Health • Patients and families – home-based support from health educators will help build health literacy and facilitate family discussions to enable informed decisionmaking • Community – regular community events and engagement with community leaders will raise awareness about kidney disease, kidney transplant and the need for live kidney donors The launch of the educational resources package by Minister of Health Tony Ryall marked a milestone for the project. Guests enjoyed performances by local group Nga Tuanga O Te Puna and Steve Fitter, an Elvis impersonator and kidney patient. Kidney transplant recipients and live kidney donors shared their stories to help raise awareness about live kidney donation, and Kidney Health New Zealand, Kidney Kids Team, the Auckland District Health Board Transplant Team, Organ Donation New Zealand and Work and Income were also onsite to provide information.

Visit www.kidneydonor.org.nz or call 0800 LIVE DONOR (0800 5483 36667) to find out more about Live Kidney Donation Aotearoa.

Act now to prevent flu influenza vaccine has been used for many years in pregnant women, with no safety concerns, and can be given in any trimester.

Health experts are urging New Zealanders to get immunised against influenza as soon as possible, with recent cases of the disease showing that influenza can strike before winter really sets in.

“Pregnant women are at particularly high risk of severe complications and death from influenza because of the changes that occur to their immune and other systems during pregnancy. Influenza immunisation in pregnancy also oers protection to the newborn baby during the first few months of life,â€? says Dr Jennings.

“As highlighted by recent cases in South Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay, with some people in intensive care, influenza circulates all year round and can be serious,� advises National Influenza Specialist Group spokesperson and virologist, Dr Lance Jennings. “Getting immunised now, before we start to see the increase in flu over the colder months, gives you the best chance of being protected.�

For those working in health, it is important to get immunised and encourage colleagues to do the same, protecting both yourself and those you provide care for.

Immunisation is particularly important for the elderly, people with ongoing medical conditions and pregnant women and their newborn babies.

Healthy, pregnant women are up to 18 times more likely to be admitted to hospital when suering from influenza than non-pregnant women. The

Influenza immunisation is free from a GP or nurse until July 31, 2014 for New Zealanders at high risk of influenza complications – pregnant women, people aged 65 and over, and anyone under 65 years of age, including children six months and older, with longPercentage of CM Health sta who have received an influenza vaccination, by division, at 8 May 2014. term health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease

(including asthma), kidney disease and most

cancers. The identification of young children

at higher risk of respiratory illness is up to

the discretion of the health care provider

and is likely to apply to many children under

5 years in the Counties Manukau district.

Other people can receive influenza vaccinations at surgeries and some pharmacies for a small charge. Many employers, including CM Health provide free vaccination to their employees.

A roving flu vaccination clinic is still available for CM Health sta. Check the updated Sta Vaccination timetable on SouthNET for locations.

For further information go to www.fightflu. co.nz or www.health.govt.nz/influenza or call 0800 IMMUNE 0800 466 863.

Don’t let the

Influenza.

Don’t get it.

Don’t give it.

Get immunised.

Immunisation may be FREE for you.

Ask your doctor or nurse today.

FOR MORE INFORMATION :

0800 466 863 National Influenza Specialist Group

TXT FLU TO 515 WWW.FIGHTFLU.CO.NZ

The influenza vaccine is a prescription medicine. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and possible risks or call 0800 IMMUNE. TAPS CH3843.

CO N N EC T + I PAG E 5

The Harley Gray Building

, pril 201il4ies, A 1 1 d e n e m op y Buildinagcilities for patients,tsf:a a r G y e l r a The H state of the art f me interesting sta ears to complete providing staff. Here are so& just under two y visitors &rs in the planning lds s to our – Yea of five rugby fie the Hospital with link – Size ted at the heart of d enhanced n a – Loca uildings y g o l o n h major b des state of the art tec truction s n o c u f l o c n k I s a e – ication system site at the p commun people working on e move - 350 600 staff made thported safely uilding: - Over ts and babies trans be found in the newt: b2,000 items.

- Patien 0,797 items can Clinical equipmen rs, clocks etc) -Over 1 re: 4,500 items.sers, sharps containe Furnitu 2,300 (dispen Fittings:

A mammoth effort

Central Sterile Supply Dept Theatre

Clinical Records Neonatal Care

Orderlies have made the move

A fitting farewell to the past On 12 April, theatre staff, past and present O held a party to say farewell to the old theatres h aat Middlemore Hospital. The Theatre block first opened 50 years ago in 1964 and at the time included 6 modern theatres and a plaster rroom. In February 2014 staff moved into a new theatre complex. t

Staff say goodbye CO N N EC T + I PAG E 6

Over O 200 people came to celebrate the farewell – dressed in the fashion of the year f they started. For many this was a chance to say farewell to a place where they spent a huge part of their lives “This is a unit where many life long friends were made and careers formed and it will never be

forgotten,” says Robyn Hughes, Nurse Manager, Middlemore Operating Theatres.

“The farewell was a great opportunity to reminisce about the good old days, share stories and laughs and reflect on how far we have come,” says Catherinee Larsen Service Manager. “Theatre is likee a family and staff became close from spending a lot of hours together.

“Although it was sad to say goodbye wee are super excited to be in our fabulous new theatre suite, where we know we w will wi illll have another 50 great years.”

The old theatre

The Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) includes the latest equipment and technology, resulting in a more productive and efficient way of working.

The co-location of Operating Rooms, Post Anaesthetic Care Unit and Theatre Admission and Discharge Unit means quicker and easier access to inpatient wards and acute units. There are 13 operational theatres in the new building (an increase of two), resulting in extra capacity to accommodate the complex needs of modern surgery.

Technology is state-of-the-art and once fully established will include the ability to transmit operating pictures to other facilities Neonatal Care has capacity for 38 intensive-care and special-care babies and includes support areas for parents/whaanau to be with their babies at what can be a stressful time.

Medical Assessment provides an efficient streamlined service for non-critical medical patients presenting acutely to Emergency Care.

Take a look inside Medical Assesment

Neonatal Care

The Spiritual Centre is the ‘heart of the hospital’ – central to all wards and public spaces. It is a welcoming space for patients, staff and visitors.

The location of Non Clinical Support Services on the lower ground floor results in a more efficient and improved service.

There is also space to include laboratories and radiology services in the future.

Harley Gray foyer

Theatre

ospital youuide H e r o m e l d it, Mid bow that helped g is v r o t, a . in k If you wormber the colourful ras parts of the hospitalfor may reme their way to variou peared to make way nd people on e old rainbow disap modern, vibrant a atients While th ern facilities, a new s place. Visitors, p ns more mod rainbow stands in it ul rainbow that spa r) to energetic now follow a playf (via the ground floo ful and staff end of the hospital re are fun and play the from one Along the way the nts which represent y through the other. and cultural eleme ever has the journe silhouettes f our community. N entertaining. diversity o re Hospital been so Middlemo CO N N EC T + I PAG E 7 C

Free vasectomies If you have a patient or colleague who lives in Counties Manukau, he may be eligible for a fullyfunded vasectomy. As you know, vasectomy is considered the safest and simplest contraceptive measure and has minimal side effects. CM Health is running a pilot programme to determine if there is a demand for this service which will probably run until the end of September 2014, depending on demand.

The patient will be eligible for this fully-funded service if he is sure his family is complete, he lives in Counties Manukau and is eligible for fullyfunded healthcare. More information is available by phoning 0800 304 729. Any health professional or patient can ring to book. The clinic staff will take care of all the arrangements including the pre-counselling which takes place over the phone with the nurse. When making a booking clinic staff should be advised that this is part of the free CM Health vasectomies programme.

The clinic is called 'Snip Vasectomy Clinic' and is being held in the Family Planning offices, 3rd level, Westfield Mall, Manukau. Please do not call Family Planning for bookings.

The team at Snip Vasectomy Clinic will explain exactly what is involved when a booking is confirmed, although the vasectomy starts with a counselling session by telephone.

Starting from 9 May vasectomies will be provided at least every four weeks. If there is more demand they will be offered more regularly. The maximum wait for an appointment is four weeks.

Vasectomies are not normally regarded as reversible although some may be. It is best to be absolutely sure there will be no more family additions wanted before considering one. The entire process is fully funded including any followup tests. For more information, please contact 0800 304 729.

CO N N EC T + I PAG E 8

MEWS improves safety of birthing mothers Pregnant women in Counties Manukau will benefit from an innovative new early warning score system in place at Middlemore Hospital. The Maternity Early Warning Score (MEWS) went live on 17 March after three years in the making.

Development of the MEWS was initiated by midwives who identified a need for an effective early warning system that could be used with perinatal women. The midwives wanted a system that would enable them to identify perinatal women at risk of deteriorating in condition and intervene promptly.

However, existing early warning scores designed for general patients are not suitable for use with perinatal women due to the physiological changes that occur during pregnancy.

The midwives gathered a multidisciplinary team including nurse and midwife educators, obstetricians, anaesthetists, pain nurses and managers, and set about designing an early warning score suitable for birthing mothers. They created a colour-coded early warning score chart with a new parameter – blood loss. The new parameter is crucial, not only because blood loss is often a critical indicator of deterioration for women in childbirth, but also because the amount of blood lost is frequently underestimated. The new chart deals with this problem by including pictorial guidance to help staff accurately judge the severity of blood loss. Colour bands are used to indicate patients in need of intervention, with appropriate actions to prevent patient deterioration documented on the chart.

MEWS was successfully trialled on the ward for five days and tested retrospectively by reviewing past serious and sentinel events to determine whether cases of acute deterioration would have triggered early intervention if MEWS had been available.

The MEWS will replace regular TRP (Temperature/Respiration/Pulse) charts.

Health literacy What is health literacy?

In New Zealand, health literacy has been defined as: “the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services in order to make informed and appropriate health decisions” (Ministry of Health).

Health literacy in Counties Manukau According to a recent Ministry of Education survey, over half of Counties Manukau residents have low levels of reading and writing skills, which would impact on their ability to cope with the demands and interactions of our health system. This means that some people could find it challenging to find their way around hospital or struggle to correctly interpret medication dosage information.

Improving health literacy is important, especially with increased expectations for patients and whaanau to take more responsibility for the management of their health. However, health literacy should not

depend on the skills of the individual patient and whaanau alone. It is an organisational value that should be considered core business and incorporated into all levels of service planning delivery.

There is a growing appreciation that health literacy is more than a set of skills that individuals need to acquire. System changes are needed to align health care better with the public’s skills and abilities and develop health literate health care organisations – that is, “health care organisations that make it easier for people to navigate, understand, and use information and services to take care of their health” (CMDHB).

CM Health is committed to the Triple Aim, which consists of improved health and equity for all populations, improved quality, safety and experience of care, and best value for public health system resources. Improving health literacy is connected to all three of the triple aims.

Meet the GMs of our four localities

The General Managers (GMs) of our four localities work closely with all health providers in their locality and work directly with CM Health and the Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) to facilitate collaborative partnerships.

The General Managers implement strategic plans to enable the development of locally appropriate innovative health solutions. They facilitate linkages between existing health services, create innovative partnerships and cooperation and drive clinical redesign.

All localities focus on patients with chronic illness or long term conditions through the At Risk Individual (ARI) programme as well as initiatives specific to their communities needs. Keeping at risk individuals healthy and managing their condition well will help keep them out of hospital.

Sarah Marshall, General Manager Otara/ Mangere Locality I had an extensive background in nursing before moving into management roles. As Planning and Funding Manager for ADHB, I managed a health equity portfolio and as Long Term Conditions Programme Manager for Midlands Health Network (UK) I led a programme of work Otara Māngere that set up integrated, general practice based multidisciplinary teams in four DHB locations.

Manukau Harbour This led to the establishment of integrated primary health care multidisciplinary teams in the four Midland DHBs.

Kathryn DeLuc, General Manager for Franklin Locality My husband and I moved here from the UK in 2002 and we now consider New Zealand our home. In the UK I worked for many years in the National Health Service, developing services in the community that had previously been provided in hospital. Before coming to Auckland I worked for Northland District Health Board and was based in Whangarei and the Far North so I’m quite familiar with developing health services for more rural, distinct communities.

Linda Bryant, General Manager for Eastern Locality

Wāitemata Harbour

Eastern

After clinical and management roles in hospital pharmacy I moved to work as a clinical advisory pharmacist with general practitioners for East Health Trust PHO. My role eventually combined being Clinical Manager of the PHO, plus my clinical advisory pharmacist role. I still maintain an association with the Department of Manukau General Practice and Primary Health Care at the University of Otago, and the School of Pharmacy at the University of Otago.

Lynda Irvine, General Manager for Manukau Locality

Franklin

Waikato

As a nurse I have always been passionate about focussing on patients’ strengths and ensuring a patient centred approach to service development. My previous experience is in the management of community teams with varied functions including community stroke rehabilitation, early supported discharge and admission avoidance teams and implementation of the restorative model of care for older people.

CO N N EC T + I PAG E 9

Beyond 20,000 Days Healthy Hearts "WE DID IT!"

supervised exercise classes.

These were the words uttered by the Healthy Hearts participants, their family/whaanau and CM Health staff as they crossed the 2014 Round the Bays finish line! Completing the 8.4km walk represented a significant achievement for everyone who took part, especially the participants, who had never dreamt of attaining such a level of fitness, following their diagnosis of heart failure.

Prior to joining the ‘Fit to Exercise’ programme, many participants had never attended a gym and had been unwell. Concerns about lack of fitness, fear/anxiety about exercise and not knowing where to start were common reasons to enter the programme. Individualised goals such as ‘being able to walk my grandchildren to school’, ‘losing weight’, ‘wanting to feel lighter and be able to do more’ were all achieved on re-assessment immediately after the programme.

Seven Healthy Hearts men and women took up the challenge, all recruited from Healthy Hearts programmes. This is an eight week, bi-weekly Healthy Hearts ‘Fit to Exercise’ programme for people with heart failure, sponsored by *The Beyond 20,000 Days Campaign and the Department of Cardiology. This pilot programme aims to assess people with heart failure and improve their fitness by providing specialist advice and support and opportunities such as home/walk/community programmes or CM Health

Round the Bays was set as a challenge to sustain the gains achieved at the programme and help participants realise their exercise potential. One participant has already enrolled in the IronMaori half marathon. * The Beyond 20,000 Days Campaign works with individuals, family/ whaanau and organisations across the health sector to give back healthy and well days to our community

3000 donors needed The Middlemore Foundation needs 3000 donors for its Dozen Donor campaign. The idea is that a donor gives $12 a month for 12 months ($144). It doesn’t sound that many in an area as large as ours, but if 3000 did sign on a massive $432,000 would be raised.

Book Fair helps kids to hear Rotary holds a special place in the hearts of Middlemore Foundation staff because several clubs make regular donations, but one in particular does remarkable things. Alfriston Rotary raised $16,000 last year, money that provided phototherapy lamps used in jaundice treatment at Kidz First Children’s Hospital.

That represented $1333.33 for every one of the club’s 12 members – which must qualify as batting above your weight. And the club does not

David Banks of SAS Autoparts heard about it and signed up for $50 a week. Another donor couldn’t be bothered with the payments, so just sent $144 straight away.

All you have to do is organise a payment to our account at the ASB at Hunter’s Corner, 12-3113-0002022-00. Use your surname as a reference, followed by the number 12. An easy method is to charge a credit card once a month.

We need to keep track to send receipts, so send your name, address, phone number and email to david.kemeys@middlemore. co.nz.

rest on its laurels. It got straight back into its next project, organising its annual book fair.

By the time the fair came about in May, the club had undergone a massive 16% increase in membership – up to 14. Countless hours were spent collecting books and organising them for sale, finding premises, and arranging the volunteers to staff the sale for four days.

And all to supply tympanometers for Kidz First Children’s Hospital at Middlemore. These machines (which cost about $4000 each) help diagnose hearing problems in very young children and will be a first for the hospital.

By the book: Alfriston Rotary Club Book Fair staffers Sherrin “I’m only an honorary member” White, and club members Simon Gleeson and Ray Parkes, could be forgiven for going off reading for a bit after helping sell thousands of used books.

CO N N EC T + I PAG E 1 0

Member Janet Igrisan calls Alfriston Rotary the “small but mighty’’ club. ‘‘It’s a lot of work but it’s rewarding. Our club’s motto is ‘People like you and me’, which is true. We’re all normal people who contribute to the community and enjoy it at the same time.’’

Despite its tiny membership the club has made $100,000 through its book sales since they started five years ago – a magnificent example of a small group achieving big things.

New qualification for orderlies Compassion, a customer focus and people skills – these are just some of the many skills required to be a hospital orderly.

This skillset and the detailed knowledge orderlies require is now being recognised through a new national qualification – the National Certificate in Health, Disability and Aged Support (Orderlies).

This NZQA Level 3 qualification, which will be offered through CareerForce, is open to orderlies at all of New Zealand’s district health boards. Moti Timoti (pictured right), an orderly co-ordinator who has worked at CM Health for six years, was the first in the country to sign up.

“I like this place. You meet a lot of families and old school friends,” he says. “It’s a job where you can move around. There’s a lot of variety.”

Moti says he was very nervous when he signed up but he hopes that completing the qualification will help him set a goal and make him feel proud. More than 60 of his colleagues have also signed up to take part.

CM Health Non-Clinical Support Training and Quality Manager, Ree Angell, says the new national certificate will be recognised in New Zealand and Australia, and may help orderlies pursue other roles, such as a healthcare assistant.

“Being an orderly is not just something you walk into. There are a lot of skills required,” she says. “Now that orderlies have something to work towards, they know that those skills are recognized and valued, which is great.”

The 12 month qualification, which will require on-the-job assessment as well as theory work out of hours, began in March.

Food for Families a great success Delicious meals from a Middlemore Hospital café are now helping feed families in need in Counties Manukau.

Through CM Health’s Environmental Sustainability Programme, Wishbone Café has partnered with the South Auckland Christian Food Bank. The food bank now collects leftover food from the Wishbone Café at Ko Awatea before it reaches its expiry date and distributes it to families it works with.

“Our first day with Wishbone was very worthwhile with two large boxes of food collected,” says Ian Foster, CEO and Trustee of the South Auckland Christian Food Bank, which supports families struggling with debt.

The initiative came about with the assistance of CM Health’s Environmental Sustainability Programme, which is aiming to reduce CM Health’s carbon footprint by 20% by 2017. Wishbone is now also working with the food bank to collect the left over food from its café at Auckland Airport, bringing even greater benefit to our local community.

“By using contacts in our local Sustainability network, we have managed to come up with a solution that helps all three organisations, the environment and the community,” says CM Health Sustainability Officer, Debbie Wilson. “It’s a real win, win, win situation for everyone involved.”

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New smokefree service a success Providing smokefree support in the suburbs of Auckland is proving popular, with nearly 200 people jumping onboard the region’s new mobile Quit Bus in its first six weeks.

celebrations along with trips to MIT, Massey University and Te Wananga O Aotearoa. In coming months it will be revisiting town centres as well providing workplace cessation support.

The Quit Bus – Waka Auahi Kore – was launched in February 2014 by CM Health's Comprehensive Care (in association with Waitemata Primary Health Organisation) and Transitioning Out Aotearoa. This innovative new service is delivered by trained advisors who provide free one-onone advice and information and nicotine replacement therapy from two buses that can be located in town centres, workplaces and community events around Auckland.

For more information or for smokefree advice call 0800 569 568 or email smokefree@middlemore.co.nz.

The Counties Manukau community has been very responsive, with smokers and non-smokers alike approaching the bus. In its first six weeks, the team provided support to over 180 people onboard, and 150 of these people were referred to ongoing support programmes.

“We’re delighted with the interest,” says CM Health Smokefree Programme Manager, Vicki Evans. “Our community identified a mobile bus as something that would help support them to quit smoking. Now that the bus is here, we’re really pleased to see people engaging with it and taking that opportunity to become smokefree.”

The bus has already visited Clendon, Manurewa, Manukau, Otara and Otahuhu town centres as well as rural locations in Pukekohe and Tuakau. It has also been onsite at the Otahuhu Family Fun Day, ASB Pasifika Festival, Tainui Games and Waitangi Day

APAC heads to Melbourne

Following two enormously successful events in Auckland in 2012 and 2013, this year the APAC (Asia Pacific) Forum heads to Melbourne, where clinicians and health leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region will gather from September 1-3.

The Forum is Asia Pacific’s premier healthcare conference, run by Ko Awatea with the aim of supporting health improvement and innovation.

This year’s event will be hosted by Victoria’s Commission for Hospital Improvement, who have worked in collaboration with Ko Awatea to plan a programme that combines high profile international speakers, practical learning and networking opportunities around the themes of value-

based healthcare, co-design, leadership, high performing organisations and transformational change.

Ko Awatea Director, Professor Jonathon Gray, said: ‘The Forum is an opportunity to foster new networks and collaborations. It allows us to showcase our own successes whilst enhancing our own professional knowledge of real-world service transformation.

‘We hope to have strong representation from the New Zealand health sector in Melbourne to ensure that our clinical practice and our local population can benefit from some of the most lead-edge thinking in health.'

Find out more and keep up to date on developments at www.apacforum.com.

communicati ons@middlemore.co.nz if you have any enquiries regarding this publication or contributions for the next issue.

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