TŌTARA Pegasus Health Pānui

Pegasus Health Pānui

Welcome to Tōtara Pegasus Health Pānui

Pegasus House stands on land that was previously a dense Tōtara forest. Tōtara is a name that honours our home’s past. Just like the Tōtara tree that thrives in the forest, soaring towards the sky and Ranginui, we create this newsletter with the aim of highlighting excellence in primary care and to support others to similarly flourish and strengthen.

Each issue of Tōtara Pegasus Health Pānui features stories, interviews, and new initiatives from across Waitaha Canterbury.

If you have a story, you would like our team to cover, please email communication@pegasus.health.nz

Tōtara Pegasus Health Pānui is produced by the Communications Team at Pegasus Health. Content within Tōtara Pegasus Health Pānui has been included with the approval of content providers. If you wish to reproduce, alter, or transmit any of the information or images contained within, please contact communication@pegasus.org.nz

Pegasus Health

Pegasus Health is a charitable organisation committed to improving health outcomes for the people of Waitaha Canterbury, through innovation in service design and delivery, enabling and supporting primary care teams, collaboration with partners and continuous improvement.

We are dedicated to ensuring that all people have access to the primary health care they need, when they need it, closing the health equity gap and investing in healthy lifestyles and screening services.

Our purpose is that All people who live in Canterbury lead healthy lives, and our role is Together making Canterbury the best place to receive and provide primary care.

Our values of Inclusive, Strive, Connection, and Integrity, are underpinned by our guiding principle of Manaakitanga, to create the fabric of our ways of being as an organisation.

Pegasus has a commitment to ensure that we overtly, purposefully, and strategically thread equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi through all we do and how we operate.

We ensure equity is prioritised in our considerations, structures, decisions, and processes so that we are able to improve the health outcomes of all people and communities in Waitaha Canterbury.

Message from the Chief Executive, Kim SinclairMorris

Tēnā koutou katoa,

We held our second Waitaha Canterbury Practice Hui last month, with another excellent turnout. We were privileged to have Bryan Betty, Chair of GPNZ, Sam Murton, President of RNZCGP, and Kim Burgess, Chair of the Primary Care Task Force, speak on the considerable challenges facing general practice, and wider primary care. It was great to have these leaders share the incredible work underway to address this across all levels of the health system. I look forward to the next hui in August.

It was great to catch up with many of you at the City 2 Surf event, and I hope you had a fantastic day participating and connecting with your fellow practice colleagues. There are some great images taken from the day in this issue, be sure to check them out.

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti recently announced five key health targets as part of the coalition Government’s 100day plan, with one of the targets having a strong focus on improving immunisation rates. Waltham Health Centre is an excellent example of how to blend proactive initiatives to boost vaccination rates. Their registered nurse Tracey, and

recent graduate Kristen discuss these initiatives in detail in this issue.

This month, we celebrate both World Family Doctor Day and International Nurses Day. This presents a great opportunity to express our gratitude to our colleagues for their dedication and hard work. These healthcare professionals are truly the backbone of primary care, providing support and care to our communities.

This is now the second issue of our refreshed pānui, and as always, we value feedback and welcome your comments on what you like and how we could improve.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Ngā mihi nui,

Kim Sinclair-Morris Pegasus Health Chief Executive Officer

Insights from a successful Administration and Reception Training (ART) session

A recent ART session provided a valuable platform for attendees to share experiences, exchange ideas, and establish new connections.

The recent general practice Administration and Reception Training (ART) session at Pegasus House brought together over 60 participants to explore critical aspects of funding, problemsolving, and networking within the primary care sector. This gathering served as a productive forum for participants to delve into enhancing administrative procedures and advancing the quality of patient care.

The session facilitated a dynamic exchange of ideas and experiences, fostering an environment of collaborative learning. Attendees engaged deeply with the content presented by the speakers, leading to spirited discussions and an appreciation of the shared insights. This engagement highlighted the event’s success in providing a strong platform for professional development.

Pegasus Health Privacy Advisor, Rebecca Hawkins, ran a session on privacy. Most participants were already aware of privacy and the impact on their roles. A team exercise where participants acted out different privacy scenarios was well received.

Feedback was actively solicited from the attendees through distributed forms, which yielded overwhelmingly positive responses. These insights are being integrated to refine future sessions.

Building on the positive momentum of this event, another ART workshop is scheduled later in the year. This forthcoming session will continue to support the administrative staff at Pegasus practices, ensuring they are well-equipped to contribute effectively across our practice teams.

Waltham Health Centre’s proactive immunisation programme

Waltham Health Centre’s registered nurse Tracey, and recent graduate Kristen detail how proactive outreach and personalised care are leading to a boost in vaccination rates.

Running a successful immunisation programme requires a blend of proactive initiatives, precalls and recalls, and patient engagement. Waltham Health Centre (Waltham) is an excellent example of how these approaches can boost vaccination rates and promote community health.

Led by registered nurse Tracey, who has been at Waltham for nine years, and recent graduate nurse Kristen, the practice uses a multifaceted approach that begins with proactive patient outreach. “Precall texts generate a positive response as we have well established relationships with our patients,” Tracey said.

Waltham also focuses heavily on opportunistic recalls. By checking patient due dates and eligibility for funded vaccinations ahead of appointments, they achieve excellent acceptance rates. This proactive approach extends to Waltham’s general practitioners who also leverage opportunistic recalls in patient consultations.

Educational sessions, and regular updates from Pegasus through quarterly reports keep the team informed and equipped to address an evolving immunisation schedule, updates and challenges. Additionally, communications from the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) ensure that Waltham stays up to date with immunisation best practices.

An example of this was Waltham’s approach to the recently funded Bexsero vaccination. Tracey and Kirsten prioritised and effectively caught up with the four year old cohort before they turned five, ensuring they did not miss out on funding eligibility. They then utilised the 18-month recalls to catch up the remaining tamariki in the funded group. This strategy highlights the importance of education as they were able to target priority groups and maximise vaccination coverage.

Waltham’s success is underpinned by their strong relationships with patients, an understanding of patient preferences and effective communication with families. For Māori and Pacific peoples with lower immunisation rates, the practice utilises a personalised approach, leveraging familial connections and face-to-face interactions with whānau to encourage vaccination uptake.

Waltham’s emphasis on proactive engagement and personalised care in their immunisation programme has led to high vaccination rates and improvement in community wellbeing.

How the Pegasus Immunisation Coordination Service can help your practice

The Pegasus Immunisation Coordination Service, led by Rachael Prestidge, can support Pegasus general practices in a variety of ways.

Rachael and Immunisation Coordinator, Sherryn Edwardson, can help practices in areas like cold chain management, annual accreditation, and training for new vaccinators. They provide clinical assessments, assist with vaccine errors, and offer advice on scheduling and catch-up immunisations.

Their support can significantly lighten the administrative load for practice nurses. They educate new vaccinators, help with clinical assessments, and devise catch-up plans for patients behind on immunisations. They also provide

training on how to conduct offsite immunisation clinics and cold chain processes.

The team is a reliable resource for immunisation-related queries, ensuring practices access accurate information promptly. They can manage cold chain breaches efficiently, allowing nurses to focus on patient care.

By leveraging the Pegasus Immunisation team, practices can enhance their immunisation services while streamlining operations and ensuring the highest standards of care for their patients.

You can contact the team via email: immunisation@pegasus.health.nz

5 minutes with Richard Clinghan

General Practitioner (GP) at Oxford Community Health Centre

Better work/life balance was a drawcard for Richard to move from Northern Ireland to Canterbury. Richard has discovered his preference for continuity of care and a more holistic approach to general practice.

You’re from Northern Ireland. Why settle in Canterbury?

My wife and I arrived in Christchurch in August 2010, and we’d decided within 2 months of being here that we’d be here for the long term. Despite the earthquake, we still saw New Zealand as having better work/life balance and we’d made so many friends. The city looked after us so well, and we’ve never regretted staying.

What attracted you to general practice?

I was working as a Medical Officer in Ashburton Hospital and at the same time I started my GP training in Christchurch. I did 1 full year of GP training and then my second year of GP training I was working half time in Ashburton Hospital and the other half time in general practice.

Over that time, I realised that I preferred the continuity of care and the more holistic approach to general practice, than I did in hospital-based medicine.

A good example is that you’d see a lot of people coming in with chest pain to hospital. The way we’re trained in the hospital is, we’ll rule out stuff that’s going to kill people and then we’ll send them back to their GP to sort out what could be going on in the background. Whereas I was more interested in what else is going on. I find that more beneficial for the patient and for me professionally.

The thing about moving away from hospital medicine is the whole holistic

approach. I really enjoy mental health, more than I probably realise. It can be really satisfying turning people’s lives around by changing how people think.

And apart from anything, I didn’t want to do my shifts on weekends, that’s why I ended up going to general practice.

What’s been your experience working as a rural GP?

Working as a rural GP, what makes it a little bit more challenging is we haven’t got the same access to resources. It’s a bit harder to get blood tests and investigations, we don’t have the same sort of services that come out here that maybe people do in town. In an emergency situations we sometimes have to do things that otherwise might have been handled by urgent care

facilities like 24 Hour Surgery or ED. We do have people that have had chest pain and need to be thrombolysed, or we’re called out to emergency situations like rural traffic accidents.

Any last words?

It’s that continuity of care that I really enjoy. I like actually seeing well people. When you work in the hospital, you’re only seeing sick people. I like seeing

people who are coming in for their routine medications and checkups, and they’re happy and healthy. I like getting to know them better and getting to know their families and learning about people lives. You meet some extraordinary people doing extraordinary things, even out here in Oxford. These are the reasons I really enjoy general practice.

In 2020, Richard published a children’s book called Jenny & the Eddies. This colourful fairytale was written to counter misinformation about the measles vaccine.

Follow Jenny, a plucky elf who ventures into the forest home of monsters that attack her village on a quest to find a legendary beast she hopes will be able to protect them.

Jenny & the Eddies aims to promote vaccine safety in a fun and non-threatening manner whilst challenging some common myths that harm immunisation rates.

The innovative approach at 1 Health

A new health club in Wigram provides top to toe health care by integrating a broad range of health services, which includes their onsite medical and dental practice.

1 Health, a new health club, recently opened in the growing community of Wigram, promising a new era in comprehensive health care. Opened on April 2, 2024, by the husband and wife team of Dr Jennifer Tirtawijaya, dentist, and Dr. Bernard Teo, general practitioner, this facility aims to transform the patient experience with its holistic approach.

The philosophy at 1 Health is to provide top to toe healthcare by integrating a broad spectrum of health services. More than just a medical facility, 1 Health serves as a club, offering members access to an extensive network of health and wellbeing services, including physiotherapists, podiatrists, and optometrists, alongside partnerships with fitness clubs and insurance providers. This model not only enhances health outcomes but also strengthens the local healthcare ecosystem by fostering robust business relationships among providers.

Dr Teo, with his extensive background in general practice in Christchurch, recognises the limitations imposed by typical 15-minute consultations. He advocates for a more patient-centered approach.

“The way primary care is set-up with 15 minute appointments as the standard means that it is difficult for us to give each patient the time and attention that they deserve,” Dr Teo said.

In response, 1 Health offers extended appointment times, including one-hour GP review appointments with 30-minute reviews with the nurse beforehand and comprehensive check-up packages which also include dental reviews, drawing inspiration from the annual health reviews common in the United States.

1 Health is located in a beautifully renovated 1920s home, which complements its welcoming and innovative approach to healthcare. It’s not just a clinic—it’s part of a movement towards a more connected and holistic approach to health and wellness.

Practice Plus year two reflections: Partnership, equity,

and continuity

In two years, Practice Plus has proven its success as an extension to general practices, complementing and collaborating with over 260 general practices with a coverage of over 2.1 million enrolled patients.

Practice Plus is a virtual telehealth solution founded at the beginning of 2022 by PHOs in New Zealand, Tū Ora Compass Health and Pinnacle Health.

At the end our second year, our service partners now include the following primary health organisations (PHOs); Auckland PHO, East Health PHO, Health Hawkes Bay PHO, Marlborough PHO, Te Awakairangi Health Network, THINK Hauora, Western Bay of Plenty PHO, Whanganui Health and Pegasus Health. This equates to population coverage of over 2.1 million enrolled patients.

The service supports practices with additional virtual capacity (via both telephone and video modalities) during business hours for surge capacity but predominantly after hours, over weekends, and public holidays when practices are closed, allowing their patients to access an online telehealth appointment with either a General Practitioner or fully scoped primary care Nurse Practitioner.

Practice Plus is placed as an extension to general practice, to complement and collaborate rather than compete. If practices lack capacity, they have a trusted partner to refer their patients to. The service has also grown to offer a dedicated locum service during business hours for general practices providing exclusive access to sessions with a Practice Plus clinician. This service includes an appointment book

designated for only their patients, as well as inbox management support as valueadd services, again to support general practice capacity at times when they need it most.

Practice Plus does not enrol patients or claw back from general practices when we consult with one of their patients. Practice Plus ensures the continuity of care remains with the patient’s enrolled provider.

Read the full Reflections Publication here

Email support@practiceplus.nz about

• On-boarding your practice

• Training and support requirements

• Working for Practice Plus

• Questions or comments

“It’s been an absolute game-changer to be able to offer this service as an option for patients, especially during staff sickness.”

Rachel Fitzgerald –Silverstream Medical Centre

Practices involved with Practice Plus

2,250

10%

Of consulted patients were not enrolled with a GP and were offered enrolment support.

50%

Of patients were directed to use Practice Plus by their enrolled practice.

The average monthly number of patients during the holiday period, who were consulted.

27,240

Patients were seen in the Practice Plus open appointment service.

This number does not include additional patients consulted via the Practice Plus virtual practice locum service.

Building bridges in Youth Health

Te Puna Wai o Tuhinapo and Te Tahi Youth team up to improve healthcare for vulnerable youth.

In a drive to strengthen the collaboration between Te Puna Wai o Tuhinapo Youth Justice Residence (Te Puna Wai) and youth health centre, Te Tahi Youth, team members gathered recently to foster relation-ships and improve healthcare outcomes for young residents. The meeting, attended by 15 professionals including Leanne Doake, Team Leader Residential Youth Health Service, and Ellie McDougall, General Practitioner at Te Tahi Youth, focused on creating a more integrated healthcare system for vulnerable youth.

Ellie, who conducts two weekly clinics at Te Puna Wai, has been a pivotal link between the two organisations, facilitating better coordination of care. However, despite ongoing collaborations, many staff members had never met face to face. Fiona Kay, General Manager at Te Tahi Youth, championed the idea of an in-person meeting to bridge this gap. The event featured informal discussions, allowing team members to network, share challenges, and discuss effective practices.

One of the primary topics discussed was how both organisations could enhance each other’s practices through mutual support.

“Some Te Tahi Youth staff haven’t been out to our site yet, so they are keen to look around and see how we can enhance each other’s practice,” Leanne said.

A significant focus was also placed on the continuity of care for Te Puna Wai’s

residents, who often have complex and traumatic health issues.

“Te Tahi Youth are happy to accept GP enrolments and referrals for our rangitahi on discharge from Te Puna Wai” Leanne said.

Te Tahi Youth provides a range of specialised services for tamariki and rangatahi aged 10 to 25, including support for those who are gender questioning, dealing with substance abuse, employment challenges, accommodation needs, and mental health issues. Importantly, services at Te Tahi Youth are free, removing financial barriers and ensuring accessible care for the youth.

By the meeting’s end, there was a collective commitment to overcoming these challenges and forging stronger ties. The collaboration is seen as vital to improving health outcomes for the youth at Te Puna Wai, ensuring they have ongoing access to consistent and supportive healthcare both during their stay at the facility and after their discharge.

Enhancing professional development in primary care for International Nurses Day

A Supervision Workshop helped Casey Bradley, refine her nursing practice and equipped her to lead and mentor new nurses entering the field.

In celebration of International Nurses Day, Casey Bradley, Nurse, Templeton Medical Centre, participated in a Supervision Workshop sponsored by the Pegasus Nursing team. This opportunity not only enhanced her nursing practice but also positively influenced teamwork within her centre. She was one of two primary care nurses selected for this professional development initiative.

Casey’s journey into nursing was driven by her desire to make a difference. Completing a pre-health course and earning a Bachelor of Nursing from Ara Institute of Canterbury, she found her passion in primary health care during a community placement at Templeton Medical. Now, with seven years at Templeton, her commitment to fostering caring community relationships continues to grow.

“Until I applied for the sponsorship to attend this course, I had never heard of Nursing Supervision,” Casey said.

“In my view, it’s something all nurses should learn about during their training. Reflective practice not only promotes

wellbeing but can also prevent burnout.”

Since attending the workshop, Casey has applied her new skills daily, significantly enhancing her communication strategies.

“The most beneficial aspect so far has been improving my communication kete,” she said. “I encourage reflective practice by focusing on the positives and building on them, rather than dwelling on the negatives. I’ve also become a more curious listener, utilising the power of conversational pauses with both colleagues and patients.”

With these newfound skills, Casey is now prepared to mentor new graduate nurses transitioning into primary healthcare, aiming to pass on the valuable lessons she has learned.

What does International Day mean to you?

“To me it is about standing proud as a nurse and applauding the exceptional work we do to make a difference to those around us.

It is a day to celebrate our colleagues and the contributions nurses make worldwide, 24/7. Recognising the impact we have on patients and their whānau and continuing to advocate for equality. Acknowledging how rewarding the career is and encouraging others to pursue the profession, to prevent a nursing shortage crisis that feels so imminent.”

City 2 Surf

We want your feedback

If you have feedback on this issue or would like to share a suggestion for a story in our next issue please contact communication@pegasus.health.nz.

Tōtara Pegasus Health Pānui is produced by the Communications Team at Pegasus Health. Content within Tōtara Pegasus Health Pānui has been included with the approval of content providers.

If you wish to reproduce or alter and transmit any of the information or images contained within, please contact communication@pegasus.org.nz.

Phone: +64 3 379 1739

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