January 2025

CEO & Advocacy Update – January 2025 

It feels lovely to start fresh in 2025 after a full-on 2024!  

There are plenty of changes happening at a national level and within our organisation. Recently, the Government appointed a new Health Minister, Simeon Brown. 

The Minister has already been vocal on lowering the number of patients in hospitals and waiting rooms. For this to happen, we need to have a strong primary care network. We are engaging with the Minister and hope to meet with him to discuss the importance of our primary care providers in the health sector. 

Internally, we appointed our first Pacific Senior Advisor. This is a critical role within our organisation and for the Pacific peoples within our region. The Pacific Senior Advisor will seek to improve the health needs of our Pacific peoples, ensuring appropriate supports are in place and helping them to access these supports. 

Recently, we held a graduation for two rangatahi interns who worked with our Health Hawke’s Bay staff and providers for five weeks over December/January. Our summer internship programme, E Hao E Pao Ngā Manu Iti Rearea, offers participants practical primary healthcare experience.   

Interns have the opportunity to work alongside primary healthcare professionals within general practice and community pharmacy.  They are required to submit a 2500-word report and, at the conclusion of the programme, share a 15-minute presentation on their findings.The knowledge our interns had gained was impressive!  Listening to them present at the graduation ceremony was amazing and indicated how important this programme is to  rangatahi.  They are the future of our health sector! 

Lastly, Health Hawke’s Bay is hosting their Primary Care Symposium at ToiToi Arts & Events Centre in Hastings on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th March.  Our staff have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to secure speakers from within Hawke’s Bay and nationwide.  This is an event not to be missed! 

We are also calling for nominations for the Hawke’s Bay Primary Care Awards which will be presented on the Saturday evening of the Symposium.   I encourage you to take the time to nominate a person/s, group, or organisation you think deserves recognition for their contribution to primary health care. 

You can nominate here: Nominations for the Hawke’s Bay Primary Care Awards Saturday 8th March 2025, 6:30-11:00pm 

You can also register for the Symposium and Awards Night here: Health Hawke’s Bay Primary Care Symposium 2025 – Hastings – Eventfinda