The district’s first primary care health needs assessment of Pacific people has begun, and the information for some general practices and other providers will be invaluable.

Community development consultant Paul Muller has been jointly contracted by Tairawhiti District Health and the Pacific Island Community Trust to manage the needs assessment of the estimated 1299 mainly Tongan, Samoan, Cook Island and Fijian people.

The Pacific Island Community Trust hopes the final report will articulate what Pacific Island people need from their health services, and provide a platform for Tairawhiti District Health, health providers and the community to respond to the poor health status of the Pacific population, says Paul.

“Tairawhiti District Health is very keen on action to improve Pacific health and the needs assessment will provide support and direction to future service development”

Paul Muller’s involvement in community development work, particularly in the NGO and primary health sector, has been widespread. As well as numerous projects around New Zealand and Tonga, he contributed to the establishment of Wairoa PHO back in 2002. He also project managed the development of The Tongan Health Society PHO in Auckland, and was its Chief Executive. He is the former Chief Executive of the Pacific Business Trust.

Paul intends making personal contact with general practices and Turanga Health over the next few weeks in an effort to learn more about the relationships each provider has with its Pacific Island patients and clients.

While some practices may have 30-40 Pacific Island families enrolled, others may have none. Inter-marriage may mean Turanga Health has a number of Pacific Island patients on its books.

“One of the outcomes of the needs assessment is to identify ways in which health providers may respond to Pacific need and the different roles we all play in improving the community’s health.”
 
Paul has started tracking down the Pacific Island people living in Tairawhiti. It’s a huge task because of the size of the district, and the small size of the population. Church is a great place to start and he has already visited the local Tongan Methodist Church. He intends on visiting more of the Churches to gather feedback directly from the Pacific community.

“As health professionals you may have contact with Pacific patients or clients, and have your own questions and views on how we might improve Pacific health. Feel free to contact me to discuss your responses,” says Paul.

Paul’s final report will be made to Tairawhiti District Health and the Pacific Island Community in August.

Yes! Mangapapa Medical Centre GP Ken McFarlane wants to raise money for the world’s homeless and hungry.

But anyone talking to Ken ahead of his second crack at the 100km Oxfam Trail Walk around Lake Taupo last month will also know that he was busting to break a self-imposed 24-hour deadline.

And he did it! Ken and his team smashed their day-long deadline by two and a half hours coming in at 21 hours and 23 minutes.

“We missed it by 37 minutes last time” says Ken, who entered this year’s event with son Ross, neo natal nurse Margaret Badger and Pinnacle Director of Nursing Hilary Graham-Smith.
 
“It was a great team effort. You can’t do it without everyone helping everyone else along.”

Hilary, who battled with an injured foot during most of her training was ecstatic at the team’s success. “As I crossed the finish line I was glad I had not let the team down. But mainly exhilarated and wildly excited at the thought of a shower and lying down!”

The 100km walk is a fundraiser to help overcome poverty and injustice, and each four-person team undertakes to raise at least $2,000 for the cause. The day/night off-road walk starts at the Taupo Events Centre and winds its way along bush walkways and farm tracks. Headlamps are used during the night walking.

Early on in the walk Ken started to wonder if he was actually going to make it. Waves of nausea brought on by the ferocious speed they were moving at proved tough on the body. “Margaret took off at a rate of knots and I was feeling sick! It was only a third of the way through and I wasn’t feeling flash.”

The team slowed down a little and settled into a good pace that took them through the rest of the afternoon, and into the night. 

A highlight for Hilary was walking the “beautiful” section between Whakaipo Bay and Kinloch; and the youngsters who welcomed them in to the 11pm checkpoint with a haka.

Team ‘Fit Happens’ had seven breaks during the 21 hour walk, the longest of which was one meal break of 30 minutes. That’s when the second half of the team, the support crew featuring Dr Alison McFarlane, Paul Badger and Brian Graham-Smith, kicked in. Ken said during one evening break, a buffet dinner was laid before them.

“We had this enormous spread when we arrived. We would sit down, our water container was filled, and a bowl of water to wash our feet.”

Hilary described the support crew as “pure gold” and remains astounded that some teams tackle the tonne without a support crew to back them up.

The cracking pace set by the team and an earlier start time this year, meant they completed their 100th kilometre at twenty past three in the morning. Ken said it was bizarre walking to the finish past all the night clubbers still going strong. 

Ken, Hilary, Ross and Margaret raised over $4,000, with some money still to come in. “The generosity of friends, family, and work colleagues has just been fantastic,” said Hilary. “They believed in the cause and dug deep. A very big thank you to all of them.”

The team placed 28th out of 282 that started.  

When asked if he would consider doing the Oxfam Trail a third time, Ken was slightly evasive. He obviously has the walking bug – he has since completed the Rotorua Marathon.

“Never say never.”

Hilary on the other hand is much easier to read. “The answer is YES! It has really sparked my sense of adventure which has been a bit submerged in recent times.”

As if to prove it, she returned last week from biking the 150km Otago Rail Trail, and is already thinking “what next?”

Readers can see who has supported Fit Happens and/or make their own donation by visiting the Fit Happens team page on the Oxfam website.

Turanganui Primary Health Organisation’s Grey Street office will be closed for three days at the end of the month as staff move into a new office on Peel St.

The shift is the result of Turanganui PHO growing too big for where it is now. The organisation’s clinical staff also require ground floor space to meet with patients. Turanganui PHO currently has 13 staff working in its Grey St office. Click here to see the names and faces of the employed and contracted staff.

Chief Executive Keriana Brooking said she started work for the PHO at home in 2003 with nothing but a lap top, printer, and a cell phone. “That wasn’t practical long term, so I moved into a room within the Rural Housing Programme office in Derby Street. When they merged with Housing New Zealand and moved, it was decided that it was appropriate that Turanganui PHO had an office in Grey Street.”

Keriana said for two years the PHO shared the space with Vanessa Supported Employment. “After five years in Grey Street, we move again to better facilities that reflect the type of organisation we have grown into.”

The office will close on Wednesday 27 May and staff will start moving out with the help of Vanessa Lowndes Centre clients managed by Terry Drummond. The office will be closed on Thursday 28 May and Friday 29 May. The office will remain closed on Queen’s Birthday Monday 1 June.

Keriana said the new office at Peel St is on the bottom floor of a building that also houses Radio Works.  The entrance is opposite Smith City car park.

“We were looking for ground floor space as we wanted our health services to be accessible to patients. There is also good office space and a clinical room.”

During moving time, referrals to PHO services such as the Primary Mental Health service can still be made via Medtech but may not be responded to until Tuesday 2 June. Urgent phone calls can be made to PHO staff via their individual cell phones or 021 241 7362.

For further information prior to the move contact Personal Assistant Tia Moeke on 863 2661 x106.

Greetings to all nurses in the district wherever you may work. 

As you may be aware, nurses around the world celebrated International Nurses Day yesterday May 12 – the birthday of Florence Nightingale. 

Of course there are many famous nurses in our history, however without doubt, Florence’s reach and influence was felt around the globe. Florence (1820-1910) was a British nurse and a hospital reformer who became internationally known as the founder of modern nursing. Nursing, which before her time was considered low-grade unskilled labor, became a respected profession because of her efforts.

Turanganui PHO celebrated its nurses presenting Diane Williams, Carol Ford and Helen Love with flowers and a big thank you. Turanganui PHO's fourth nurse, Robert Armstrong is currently on leave.

The International Council of Nurses theme for 2009 was Delivering Quality, Serving Communities:
Nurses Leading Care Innovations. For more information visit their website.