Tēnā koutou katoa,

I am writing this the day before the health reforms kick into action, and I suspect as you read this you might be thinking, ‘well, nothing has changed except a few names’, and at this point you may well be right. My expectation is that services will still be delivered, and you should be receiving the care and treatment you would normally expect to receive.

Any reform takes time, and these reforms are huge. It will take time for the new health entities to have the infrastructure in place for these changes to be socialised. In the meantime, I am hearing that consumers and whānau are hopeful about these reforms. 

At the recent consumer health forum Aotearoa hui, many voices spoke of hope for better health services, stronger consumer and whānau input in decision making and for health inequity to be addressed.

One of the most significant changes in these reforms is a renewed focus on elevating consumer voices. The new code of expectations for health entities’ engagement with consumers and whānau is awaiting final sign-off from the Minister of Health. Many of you gave feedback during its development, and I thank you for making the time and effort to do this. It has made a difference. 

We remain hopeful.

Noho ora mai,

Chris Walsh

Director

He Hoa Tiaki | Partners in Care

Let’s plan to leave hospital | Me whakamahere i te wehenga i te hōhipera

Hospital staff want you to leave feeling well informed and with answers to any questions you may have. This sheet will help. Some things may have already been discussed with you and won’t be relevant. There are spaces if you or your whānau want to make notes.

Let’s plan for your next health care visit | Me whakamahere i tō toronga haumanu hauora

This resource is to help you plan your next health care visit. Planning and asking questions will help you understand more about your health and treatment for an illness or injury. Your doctor, nurse and others included in your health care want you to ask questions to help you make decisions together.

Three steps to meeting health literacy needs | Ngā toru hīkoi e mōhiotia ai te hauora

We also have a new look to our guide, Three steps to meeting health literacy needs. This guide is aimed at health care professionals and provides a process to follow during every health care discussion.

You can download a copy from our website or email consumers@hqsc.govt.nz to order hard copies.

The three-step process will help you reinforce the useful knowledge and skills people already have, identify and build the knowledge and skills they need and check you’ve been effective at doing so. The guide builds on our earlier popular publication, Three steps to better health literacy.

St John is trialling a new online Telehealth service in a bid to reduce health inequities and offer future-focused at-home health care.

The trial is for people with uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure). The trial will allow management of health at home using a smart and easy-to-use touchscreen device that connects to a blood pressure monitor and enables video consults with a St John Telehealth clinical advisor. If intervention is required, the Telehealth clinical advisor will send a referral to the appropriate health service.

Using a holistic approach, patients are also connected with a St John wellbeing advisor to provide ongoing support with their overall wellbeing.

If you have hypertension and want to get involved in this trial, check out the Health Point website for information and the eligibility criteria.

Want to chat about how the consumer health forum Aotearoa can influence our health system? Our consumer and whānau phone line is active.

If you would like to contact us free, call 0800 275 742. You can leave a message with your details, and a He Hoa Tiaki | Partners in Care staff member will get in touch with you.