Connect+ September (Spring) 2023

TUUHONO HONO

A TE WHATU ORA COUNTIES MANUKAU PUBLICATION | SPRING KOOANGA 2023

In this issue OUR COVER STORY Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori was held on September 11 – 17 and to celebrate it Te Whatu Ora

The kaupapa for this year’s Maaori Language Week was ‘kia kaha te reo’ or to make the language strong.

Rahera Dickson, Team Lead for Te Kaahui Ora, Middlemore Hospital’s Maaori Health Service,

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team organised to celebrate the week.

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EDITOR: Nikki Allan DESIGNED by Sarah Cordtz Connect+ is produced by Te Whatu Ora to share or would like Connect+ delivered straight to your inbox please contact

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From Vanessa Kia ora taatou Spring is here! I am pleased to say that we have survived winter’s onslaught at Counties Manukau this year.

be onsite to assist and facilitate changes safely while maintaining accessibility.

great exposure for our team and their mahi. Keep an eye out for the stories on social media and feel free to share them.

across our services, our kaimahi have risen to the challenge of a busy Emergency Department, more respiratory illnesses, and full wards.

we take pride in doing our utmost to ensure those

some well-earned coverage. They’re about to

Ngaa mihi nui

home monitoring, with a device that will deliver

Dr Vanessa Thornton

Thanks for your understanding over Winter. Our

For those of you who access Middlemore by train, there’ll be some changes as improvements are

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Kia Kaha Te Reo – Make the language strong!

Culture, language, and identity can be a determinant of our health and wellbeing which is why our kaimahi celebrating their culture and each other is important to us as an organisation.

Throughout the week, the team also did mahi

“We also did a macrame piece which is a steppingstone to be able to do Taaniko which is the goal for next year’s Te Wiki o Te Reo Maaori”

Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori was held on September where they’re from) and whakapapa (genealogy).

The kaupapa for this year’s Maaori Language Week (September 11 – 17) was ‘kia kaha te reo’ or to make the language strong.

Rahera Dickson, Team Lead for Te Kaahui Ora, Middlemore Hospital’s Maaori Health Service, said her team enjoyed the week, which coincided with Mahuru Maaori – a challenge where people choose to speak Maaori for an hour a day, a day of (September).

The team held workshops during the week, with “On the Monday we made poi – this was great as it and great for mental health and of course, we can use them during waiata,” said Rahera.

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“People pointed to where they’re from on a map

Mururaupatu Maipi, who is Middlemore Hospital’s Pou Tikanga, also hosted workshops during the week Maaori Language Week.

Awesome mahi Te Kaahui Ora and the Tikanga team.

Keeping the faith As the sun creeps over the horizon and the birds start to wake, Kiwi and Jordan are arriving at Middlemore Hospital to take part in a karakia with a tuuroro As Maaori chaplains, contracted through Te Whare Ruruhau o Meri Trust, they provide amorangi/ Middlemore Hospital.

Jordan Jones previously worked in pastoral care learning te reo Maaori with Kiwi’s support. He says people are very understanding and encouraging and usually are just happy that he is learning the “I appreciate the vision of our employer, Te Whare, of urban Maaori, especially whaanau struggling with adversity. We do this in our mahi at Middlemore

observe the Kaupapa Maaori way of doing Whare Tapa Whaa model also informs their work (physical), and hinengaro (mental).

about their wairua and whaanau. And in how we are invited to do karakia with tuuroro before surgeries as well as over rooms, whaanau, and tuupaapaku (deceased),” says Kiwi Taranaki, who is a Maaori Chaplin here at Middlemore Hospital and Assistant Pastor at his church in Pukekohe.

news or good news.”

“It is a privilege and an honour to be invited into this space and to able to create a safe space where up to us in ways they can’t do with their whaanau because they don’t want to worry them.”

Their days are long, but both rewarding and challenging Kiwi and Jordan say. whaanau want to start their mornings with karakia

they explain, as they also have a responsibility support.

“The cleansing we do is not only for the tuuroro

a good type of busy.”

“I wasn’t planning on coming to work here – God’s says Kiwi.

TE WHATU ORA COUNTIES MANUKAU | RIMA

Neonatal nurses

make a major difference in Kidz First Hospital Baby Vaka Hafoka spent 175 days in the Neonatal Service at Middlemore’s Kidz First Hospital.

Vaka and his parents Ilaisia and Losaline, were at their son’s bedside throughout his stay, from the time he was born 16 weeks premature last November.

And never far away was a new kind of specialist

We followed the team’s journey with the Hafoka Abby at Vaka’s home, where he is thriving.

Abby says: “Sometimes it was just someone to chat to, to check in, make sure they were doing OK. Things like the family meetings, and interpreters to help them understand the medical needs of their baby.”

A delighted mum, Losaline told us: “It was a hard

and their whaanau.

The two family liaison nurses on the ward, Abby Parsons and Anevili Purcell are a vital link in the chain of neonatal care. can be bewildering for families, but the family peepi (babies) and whaanau, advising on care, in

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We’re thankful for them, and also the doctors for what they’ve done for us.”

Middlemore’s Neonatal Unit care for about 1400 babies every year, and it’s expected that more family liaison nurses will be appointed in the future.

Hospital in the home Counties Manukau’s Hospital in the Home service (HITH) is gearing up to be even more effective in our community.

Nurse Specialist Jade Cruz, who’s been working for the service for just over a year, said the team has become adept at managing acutely unwell people in their own home.

The service, which has been in operation since 2018, has meet the needs of many thousands of eligible patients, who have received their acute hospital level care at home or place of residence.

needed, can re-admit them to hospital if the level of care they require cannot be safely delivered in the home.”

August, this year HiTH has already cared for 1,340

the department.

Charge Nurse Manager, Cate Paras: “We employ a wide range of health professionals, including

“I love how we can assist home care patients with so many of their needs – whilst supporting their acute health care recovery we can also assist with everything from basic mobility to applying for a benefit or Accident Compensation.”

social workers and pharmacists, just like a ward in the hospital.”

The service is gearing up to take on even more

Jade is Filipino-trained and is working towards

and oxygen levels from home.

TE WHATU ORA COUNTIES MANUKAU | WHITU

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

that is transforming healthcare Image: Maria and Caroline

After positive outcomes from an earlier remote patient monitoring trial that focused on monitoring COVID-19 patients through our Hospital in the Home (HitH) service, a new piece of work is scheduled to begin which allows a greater number of patients with a wider range of patient conditions, to be monitored safely at home.

healthcare.

Training is now underway with some of the team trial starts, bringing the Data and Digital team (formerly CMD Healthy Together Technology), the HitH service and Te Kaahui Ora/Maaori Health Services together again.

In this latest trial, a small medical-grade wearable monitor a broad range of vital signs at between 5-second to 15-minute intervals including heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen levels, skin temperature, blood pressure, ECG, plus a number

The data is sent via Bluetooth on a hospital-issued 24/7 by a team of HitH nurses.

have the ability to see their own data and receive team.

whaanau around them. This work places whaanau at the heart of the system and we are keen to explore how this type of technology can provide more care Maria Galloway, Change Manager. digital technology can play an important role in delivering an accessible, equitable, sustainable and excellent health system for all New Zealanders.

The six-month proof of concept will involve increase the capacity of the HitH service from 30

“Introducing new technology and systems can be challenging and involves a number of teams across Te Whatu Ora working together to ensure we have go” says Caroline Ogilvie, Project Manager.

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An act of service Image: Paulita

Joining the team as one of our newest volunteers at Middlemore Hospital is Paulita Maneclang. It's a new chapter, moving from the Philippines to now calling New Zealand home. as a secondary teacher, but now I want to work in health care," says Paulita.

Caring for her Grandma made Paulita passionate about caring for other older people.

"I hope to become a caregiver. I can see that the elderly need love.

"Before my grandma passed, she told me to go and pursue my dream and explore a new life for myself.

So, to lessen my upset, my sister invited me to come to New Zealand."

Currently studying Healthcare Wellbeing studies for some valuable work experience.

departments to building names and exits. Paulita's

"One of my friends who also volunteers suggested it and encouraged me to try, and now I come three

asking how they can help, and always walking with

For Paulita, being a volunteer has helped her meet friends.

but it pushed me to put myself out there and be a friendly face to people.” healthcare is Paulita's grandmother.

"My grandma took care of me since I was four last breath when she passed away in October last year at 92."

"At Middlemore, there's a rainbow that we use as a guide for people to follow when they get lost. For me, it means it's a sign that for every challenge in life there's always a rainbow coming up. The rainbow never fails to make me smile."

Volunteering has been a memorable experience for Paulita and something she encourages everyone to try.

"It comes from the heart to serve without asking for anything in return. It doesn't have to be at the hospital – it's about being of service."

TE WHATU ORA COUNTIES MANUKAU | IWA

Good news for Counties Manukau’s Podiatry Service Diabetic foot ulcers are slow healing open wounds which will impact one in five people with diabetes (20%) sometime during their life with about 50% of those ulcers becoming infected*.

Podiatry Team Leader, Elson Ng: “By seeing is to evolve into an acute service, aiming to provide

improvement in the numbers, and we are especially

The downstream consequences of these ulcers story with our Diabetes Foot Ulcer Clinic has seen

The Clinic is based at Manukau SuperClinic and

delighted with the care he got, which has probably “Elson and his team have done me proud,” he says. *Source - Healthify He Puna Waiora - previously Health Navigator website.

scheduling system, achieving remarkable results.

The clinic now has the capacity to see our Priority impressive 100%.

TEKAU | TUUHONO HONO CONNECT + SPRING 2023

Winter Warm-Up Wrap Up! The Great Winter Warm-Up is a series of activation events that have been hosted at various community events in the Counties Manukau district by the National Hauora Coalition (NHC) in partnership with Te Whatu Ora. whaanau about how to stay healthy during winter and help them understand more about their eligibility medical advice and care.

community. whaanau gather and have space to talk about health Netball Courts, the second was at Pukekohe Netball Courts and the third was at Brown Pride CrossFit gym.

More events are happening soon across the rohe.

Thanks to the team at NHC for the outstanding mahi and all those from Te Whatu Ora who helped bring this idea to life.

TE WHATU ORA COUNTIES MANUKAU | TEKAU MAA TAHI

There were no donuts in sight, but the coffee was ready and waiting when the Ootaahuhu (Ōtāhuhu) Crime Prevention team popped in for a visit.

visited the Manukau Health Park along with Business Manukau, to assist in the Safer Plates

Coffee with a cop is a great opportunity for staff and visitors to meet their local police team, helping to address the stereotypes (like the donuts), and build trust and relationships between the community and the police.

working along the Security team to help deter vehicle crime.

teams.

screws installed on their licence plates free of charge.

It's no secret vehicle crime is an issue for many with carparks.

“We obviously want to do what we can to reduce

Sergeant Damon O'Shaughnessy, Otahuhu

our carparks and also a new security centre with 24/7 monitoring of our sites is in process.”

are good for engaging with the community and

“Insights and data that the police have gathered at Middlemore Hospital and the surrounds. We everyone is playing their part to deter crime,”

that’s good because we can give advice on a wide range of topics going on in people’s lives.

You can play a part in helping to protect your car by taking simple steps.

or their pastor and it can be easier to talk to a stranger about certain things,” says Damon.

Make sure you lock your car, take your valuables out and please report anything unusual to security on their number: 5777 from mobile (for

TEKAU MAA RUA | TUUHONO HONO CONNECT + SPRING 2023

Dana's Story "I was whakamaa (shy) at first, but it was all good. I'm glad I got it done," says Dana Vetemotu, who shares her experience getting her cervical screen test. In New Zealand, about 160 women develop cervical cancer yearly – and about 50 die from it.

Regular cervical screening tests can detect changes in the cervix. It's one of the easiest cancers to prevent.

"It's a day for wahine to come together. When I arrived there was yummy food and pop-up stalls with other health services.

Dana understands the importance of testing. Seven years ago, her test result came back with abnormal cells. She was then treated for a biopsy and now tests yearly.

talked about her mammogram, whipped it out, and we were laughing. Another shared she didn't know about this event and was picked up for her appointment.

"If I didn't get the test, who knows what would happen. I'd probably have cancer." health as she always remembers her high school friend whose mother died young from cervical cancer at 27. working as a hairdresser for 17 years, she switched careers. She's now the Community Coordinator Screening Programme. high stats for Maaori who get bowel cancer, I want to help our Kaumaatua."

Dana works at the same place she came to get her

“Being together helps to normalise these types of tests. With Maaori, we always end with food.

It makes it less serious, and it's how we do whakawhanaugatanga."

Dana acknowledges the screening process has its quick.

"It took the nurse less than 10 minutes, and they make sure you feel comfortable."

Dana hopes to encourage women to get their cervical screening test done, saying it could save their lives.

"Aroha mai, aroha atu – show love for yourself by taking charge of your health.

Stand proud, waahine maaori, and prioritise your cervical screening for a healthier future."

SuperClinic for Breast and Cervical screening.

TE WHATU ORA COUNTIES MANUKAU | TEKAU MAA TORU

Southside!

Our Smokefree team is passionate about helping people stop smoking and provide Smokefree support including weekly face to face or phone koorero as well as nicotine replacement products, information on prescription medicines and vaping devices to achieve that.

Whaanau can receive this support at one of the 35 weekly local drop-in clinics which can be found in the heart of South Auckland.

helpful”.

22, also came to see our team at the Local Doctors in Dawson Rd.

smoking for health reasons.

“I was going cold turkey to quit but was really struggling with the strong cravings and feeling angry,” he said.

“The team let me know that it is normal to experience these withdrawals and I was given stop smoking medicines and behavioural support to help me get through.”

and was proud that he stuck to his quit date and completed 12 weeks smoke free.

“I’m enjoying saving money, my family is happier, and I feel healthier.

TEKAU MAA WHAA | TUUHONO HONO CONNECT + SPRING 2023

replacement products and weekly behavioural support to help her on her smokefree journey.

“It was just a stubborn habit for me,” she says

“My daughter is trying to quit smoking too and I have sent her to see the Smokefree team as well” Great to see this vital mahi happening out there in our community.

If you want to talk about going smoke free call 0800 569 568 and talk to one of our team.

Getting a sexual health test just got a whole lot easier!

Image: Members of the Auckland Sexual Health team at the opening and blessing of the new Clinic at Southpoint Centre.

The Auckland Sexual Health Regional Service have moved into a new Te Whatu Ora clinic, Te Haupuu Ora in the Southpoint Shopping Centre (on the mezzanine floor above Countdown), which is more centrally located to better serve the Counties Manukau population. anyone living in Taamaki Makaurau providing services such as sexual health tests, HIV PrEP, “We are a friendly, non-judgemental team of nurses and doctors who are experts in helping people with their sexual health needs and making people feel comfortable and at ease,” says Jeannie Oliphant, Clinical Director, Auckland Sexual Health Regional Service. background and are professional so you can feel safe coming to see us. are everyone under 30 years of age, and Maaori

Check out their website: www.ashs.org.nz to see all If you have symptoms phone 0800 739432 to speak member to help. They also have a walk-in clinic every Friday 1:30pm-4:30 pm.

No symptoms? What about a Quick Check!

You can walk into the Sexual Health Clinic and ask the you, give you a pack to take to the bathroom to do your own tests and a form to take to labtests for your blood test. You will only be contacted if your test is

Walk-in Clinic every Friday 1:30pm-4:30 pm.

nonbinary people, sex workers and Community Services Card holders of any age.”

TE WHATU ORA COUNTIES MANUKAU | TEKAU MAA RIMA

16 | TUUHONO HONO CONNECT + AUTUMN 2023