Preparing for the NZNO strike on 9 June
Nelson Marlborough Health, along with all other New Zealand district health boards, is preparing for a strike by New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) members. NZNO members include nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants.
The strike is scheduled for 8 hours from 11am – 7pm on Wednesday 9 June 2021.
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Antenatal classes expand online
Using telehealth technology and creating online resources, Pregnancy and Parenting Educator Kelly Mahuika has expanded the reach of NMH's Pregnancy to Parenting antenatal classes.
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How has telehealth changed healthcare?
Prior to COVID-19, we heard very little about telehealth unless you lived in a remote location and even then it tended to focus on bringing patients in to their local health centre where they could link in to their clinician at the hospital via phone or video. By and large both patients and health practitioners still opted for in person consults given the choice.
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Nelson Marlborough Health District Board Meeting 25 May 2021
Members of the public are welcome to attend the following Nelson Marlborough District Health Board meeting to be held Tuesday 25 May 2021 at 12.30pm, Seminar Centre Room 1, Braemar Campus, Nelson Hospital.
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21,000 vaccines delivered and Group 3 well underway
More than 21,600 people have received their free Pfizer BioNTech vaccine in the Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough region since vaccination started on 1 March 2021.
This puts Nelson Marlborough Health and our primary care and Māori health partners ahead of target. We are currently achieving 146% of target as reported on the Ministry of Health website.
In May and June vaccination is being offered to people in Groups 2 and 3. Find out which group you are in.
There are approximately 50,000 people in Group 3. We will extend the invitation to all Group 3 members between now and July. This means that not everyone in Group 3 will be offered the vaccine at the same time, or at the same time as people you know – eg neighbours or colleagues.
If you are in Group 3 or 4, you do not need to do anything yet. We'll let you know when it's your turn. You'll most likely be contacted by phone or text and given details about how to make an appointment. It's important to know that if you don't get vaccinated at the same time as the rest of your group, it's not too late. You can still get your free vaccine later.
There is enough vaccine for everyone in New Zealand to receive two free doses.
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Nelson Marlborough Health District Board Meeting 27 April 2021
Members of the public are welcome to attend the following Nelson Marlborough District Health Board meeting to be held Tuesday 27 April 2021 at 12.30pm, Seminar Centre Room 1, Braemar Campus, Nelson Hospital.
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The new health system announcements
On 21 April Ministers Hon Andrew Little, Hon Peeni Henare and Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall announced the Government’s response to the Health and Disability System Review.
To summarise the decisions:
- all DHBs will be replaced by one national organisation, Health NZ, from 1 July 2022, when DHB employees will transfer to the new organisation
- A new Māori Health Authority will have the power to commission health services, monitor the state of Māori health and develop policy
- A new Public Health Agency will be created within Health New Zealand
- A strengthened Ministry of Health will monitor performance and advise Government
Nelson Marlborough Health Chief Executive Lexie O'Shea has offered a response to the announcements. This includes the assurance to our community that community, primary and secondary health and disability services continue, now and in the future under the Government’s reform plan where DHB employees transfer to the new agency, Health New Zealand, on 1 July 2022.
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COVID-19 vaccination update: Looking towards Group 3
More than 10,000 people have received their first of two doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine in the Nelson Marlborough region.
Approximately 2,440 of these were provided in the last week, as vaccination teams from Nelson Marlborough Health, Te Piki Oranga, Nelson Bays Primary Health Organisation and Marlborough Primary Health Organisation start to increase efforts in line with the national roll-out plan. Of note, 160 kaumatua were vaccinated at a kaumatua clinic on 17 April, and more kaumatua were vaccinated at Waikawa Marae on 15 April. Vaccination has been provided at nine aged care facilities to date, with more scheduled.
Kaumatua and aged care facility residents are Group 2 members. The current focus is on completing vaccination for Group 1 members and offering it to more Group 2 members. This month we started to offer occasional vaccination to Group 3 members who are aged 65 years and older. Vaccines are offered by appointment and when spaces come up, we offer them first to Group 2 members so that the vaccine doesn't expire and is wasted. People can't always come to an appointment at short notice however, which is why we are offering bookings to these Group 3 members.
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Free 'flu vaccination is now available for people aged 65+
Influenza (the flu) can be a serious and sometimes fatal illness.
Infection with the influenza virus may lead to a stay in hospital for any age group but particularly if you are elderly or have an ongoing medical condition.
Even if you do not end up in hospital, influenza can keep you in bed for a week or more. This is why flu vaccination is free for people aged 65 and older, from 14 April, from your GP, medical centre nurse or Māori health provider.
From mid-May the vaccine will also be free for:
- pregnant women (any stage of pregnancy)
- children aged 4 years or under who have been hospitalised for respiratory illness or have a history of significant respiratory illness
- people under 65 years with any of the medical conditions listed on this webpage
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COVID-19 vaccination update: 5,000+ vaccinated to date
Almost 6,000 people have received their first of two COVID-19 vaccine doses.
On 1 March we started to vaccinate Group 1 members – border workers (ports) and the people they live with. On 10 March we started to vaccinate Group 2 members – high-risk frontline health workers such as those who work in emergency departments, intensive care units, outpatient departments, maternity wards, mental health wards, laboratories and aged residential care facilities. We’ve also invited support staff such as orderlies, clinical administrators, facilities staff and cleaners who work in these areas.
In the week starting 29 March we started offering vaccination to people who live in community environments where there's a higher risk of COVID-19 spreading. This includes aged residential care facility residents and older Māori and Pasifika people who are cared for by their whānau.
In April we started to offer occasional vaccination to Group 3 members who are aged 65 years and older. Vaccines are offered by appointment and when spaces come up, we offer them first to Group 2 members so that the vaccine doesn't expire and is wasted. People can't always come to an appointment at short notice however, which is why we are offering bookings to people aged 65+ (Group 3).
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