Category: Health New Zealand

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Charity thanks hospital staff across the Waikato

Source: Waikato District Health Board

Night shift workers ending their shift at Waikato Hospital and their daytime colleagues on their way to replace them were greeted by the pleasant aroma of a BBQ on Thursday morning as a Hamilton charity cooked thousands of burgers to say thank you for their work.

Health NZ Waikato Interim Manager Health and Safety, Kent Holdsworth, said all dietary options were catered for at the event that was provided by the Hamilton branch of the international charity, the Rapid Relief Team (RRT).

“About 4000 fresh hamburgers were cooked by the RRT staff including vegetarian and gluten-free options with fruit pottles and bottled water also available.

“This is the second year in a row the RRT have donated their time and the food in appreciation for the work done by our staff at Waikato Hospital and what’s really humbling is learning a large number of the volunteers took time off work to be part of this event.”

RRT Hamilton leader, Braden Goddin said his team were all very pleased to be able to show the hospital staff their gratitude for the remarkable work they do every day.

“All our volunteers were able to recall when hospital staff helped them with skill, kindness and compassion in times of real need, so it’s very pleasing to be able to show them in some small way how much we appreciate and respect them, and their special work.”

Kent said not only had the RRT provided this show of appreciation to staff at Waikato Hospital, they wanted to ensure workers in the district’s rural hospitals are included as well.

“As a result of their generosity we have scheduled events to be held at our Tokoroa, Thames, Taumarunui and Te Kuiti hospitals over coming weeks.”

Pictured from left is RRT volunteer Joel with Health NZ Waikato’s Group Director Operations Hospital and Specialist Services, Michelle Sutherland centre and RRT volunteer Grant on the hotplate.

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Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Waikato Midwife of the Year 2024

Source: Waikato District Health Board

Held each year on 5 May, the International Day of the Midwife, celebrates the work and contribution midwives make to newborn and maternal health.

A key part of these celebrations is the announcement of the winner of the annual Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Waikato Midwife of the Year award.

From a talented field of nominees, the 2024 award winner was Nicki Tames, a Registered Midwife in Ward E2 at Waikato Hospital.

Nicki’s nomination described her as a midwife making a real difference who has a passion for providing the best experience for women no matter the reason they are in hospital.

“Nicki really gets to know the women she cares for and provides such a ‘mothering’ experience. She thinks holistically in all her care plans and will always involve whānau.

“Nicki is able to really improve a mother’s experience by simply listening to her concerns and offering ideas that show she had thought about the mother’s mental and physical health and she is always ready to guide and support colleagues in thinking more holistically.”

The criteria for the award is a registered midwife who makes a real difference to the areas they work in. This could be related to improvement in experience and/or safety of women, pregnant people and whānau, it may encompass innovation, improvements to a wider team, or implementing process changes.

Pictured: Nicki Tames on receiving her award

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Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Waikato Nurse of the Year 2024

Source: Waikato District Health Board

The Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waikato Nurse of the Year Award for 2024 was celebrated at Waikato Hospital last week.

The event coincided with International Nurses Day which had a theme of “Our Nurses, Our Future”, and was an opportunity for nurses to celebrate the success of their peers.

From a strong field of 23 nominees, the recipient of the 2024 Nurse of the Year award was Marion Sanders who works in the Mothercraft service located at the Waterford Birthing Centre.

Marion Sanders, Waikato Nurse of the Year 2024

Marion Sanders, Registered Nurse in Mothercraft played a pivotal role in the planning and execution of two relocations of Mothercraft from its original home of 50 years in 2022.

The positivity, initiative and sheer hard work demonstrated by Marion was described by her peers in her nomination as role modelling what an expert, dedicated nurse should look like.

Her nomination described Marion as an avid advocate for her service and for women and their babies, Marion’s expert nursing knowledge of families and the community which she shares with colleagues and whānau is greatly respected.

Receiving the 2024 award, Marion said she was overwhelmed and humbled given the high standard of nursing demonstrated by the 23 nominees.

The award recognises a nurse who has made a real difference to the area they work in. This difference could be related to improved patient experience and/or patient safety. The improvement could encompass innovation, improvements to team dynamics, patient care or implementing process changes.

Pictured is 2024 Health NZ Waikato Nurse of the Year, Marion Sanders with interim Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Noel Watson

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Country’s first baby for 2024 delivered safe and well in Waikato Hospital

Source: Waikato District Health Board

Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand Waikato congratulates mum, Danielle Nowacki and dad, Connor Williams on the birth of their daughter overnight, believed to be the first baby born in the country for 2024.

Harlee Jean Patricia Williams arrived into the New Year at 12.01am weighing 3.3kgs. Both mother and daughter are doing well in Waikato Hospital and hope to be able to return to their Hamilton home soon.

Pictured are baby Harlee resting on mum, Danielle Nowacki with dad, Connor Williams at right.

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Contractor in place to build replacement mental health unit at Waikato Hospital

Source: Waikato District Health Board

Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand has appointed Naylor Love as the contractor to build the replacement Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Facility at Waiora Waikato Hospital.

The current Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre is no longer considered suitable. The new inpatient facility will be a more appropriate space for contemporary approaches to mental healthcare.

The replacement facility has been designed to provide a welcoming and therapeutic environment for people experiencing mental illness, in accordance with an adult acute healthcare plan that incorporates key cultural elements.

It will have eight internal courtyards, maximising the use of natural light, and space for 64 beds.

It will offer views of neighbouring trees and will be built to the Greenstar Five Star sustainability building standard, as well as the best-practice Australasian Health Facility Design Guidelines.

Construction is expected to begin in mid-2024, after the completion of enabling works, which began in mid-2023 under a preliminary agreement.

The project is expected to reach practical completion by mid-2026. The mental health facility will be built where the Renal Centre is currently sited, in two stages. Work on the second stage will start once the Renal Centre has opened at a new location on the Waiora Waikato Hospital campus, allowing the old Renal Centre to be fully demolished.

The new Renal Centre building is on schedule to enter service in early 2025.

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New partnership halves fares to Waikato Hospital while protecting environment

Source: Waikato District Health Board

From 16 October access to Waikato Hospital will be easier for staff, patients and visitors thanks to a partnership between Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand and local councils.

Te Whatu Ora Waikato Operations Director for Clinical and Operational Support, Melinda Ch’Ng said the initiative will deliver a 50 percent discount on bus fares for people using their Bee Card to and from Waikato Hospital using the Pembroke St and Hague Rd bus stops.

“This initiative is aimed at improving equity of access to our hospital while contributing effectively to our carbon emission reduction goals.”

“Anyone travelling to and from the hospital using their Bee Card who tags on or off at the three bus stops near Waikato Hospital will automatically have the half price subsidy applied to the fare charged to their card, so it’s better for your wallet and, better for the environment.”

Te Whatu Ora will be covering the cost of concession for a trial of up to 12 months. Ms Ch’Ng said there was sound reasoning behind the investment.

“During the Government’s 50 percent public transport subsidy we saw a 28 percent increase in bus passengers travelling to or from the hospital and in partnership with the Waikato Regional Council, we want to build on that success.

“As an organisation we’re continuously seeking ways to mitigate the effects of population growth, lessen demand for onsite staff parking, care for our staff and help care for the environment by reducing single occupancy vehicle use, be that by staff, patients or visitors.”

The public transport fare subsidy initiative is part of Te Whatu Ora Waikato’s Sustainability Framework and the hospital’s Travel and Access Plan.

“One of the main goals of these strategies is improving access to transport for healthcare for priority populations and by keeping bus fares to and from the hospital affordable, it gives people healthier, more environmentally sustainable travel options.”

Waikato Regional Council’s public transport manager Trudi Knight said, “This is an operationally unique model in our corporate concession scheme that will deliver subsidised fares to passengers travelling to and from Waikato Hospital”.

“The scheme plays a pivotal role in fostering a culture of sustainability and environmental consciousness, and in the case of Te Whatu Ora, it makes trips to the hospital easier and more affordable.”

The Pembroke St stops are serviced by the Comet, Orbiter, 12 Fitzroy, 24 Te Awamutu and 26 Te Kūiti, buses and the Hague Rd stop is serviced by the 25 Taumarunui bus. For more information about Hamilton and regional buses visit busit.co.nz or call 0800 205 305.

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Waikato cardiologists using new technology to help high-risk patients

Source: Waikato District Health Board

Treatment of high-risk patients with coronary artery disease can now be done more safely, thanks to an Australasian-first performed by a Waikato Hospital cardiology team.

Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand Cardiologist Dr Madhav Menon said the team successfully completed a Complex High Risk Indicated Procedure (CHIP) angioplasty using a Pulse Cath iVAC2L hemodynamic support catheter, on 31 August.

Angioplasty is a procedure to open a narrowed or blocked artery, usually using a short wire mesh tube known as a stent.

“Patients who are complex cases with a very poor heart, need support during the procedure to maintain cardiac output,” Dr Menon said.

Previously, the heart was supported using a balloon pump that inflates and deflates to assist the heart’s pumping action.

The iVAC2L device provides a higher level of support by suctioning blood from the ventricle (the chamber which pumps blood out of the heart) and pumping it directly into the aorta (the main artery which carries blood away from your heart to the rest of your body). This takes more stress off the heart during the procedure and also provides better blood flow back to heart.

“This technology gives us better blood pressure support for very sick hearts while performing complex interventions,” Dr Menon said.

“It allows us to perform these procedures more safely with better clinical outcomes for the patient and less stress for our team.”

Coronary artery disease patients previously required a lot of hospital time and resources because of the risky nature of their surgery. It is estimated around 15 to 20 patients a year will benefit by being able to undergo this procedure. Improved clinical outcomes can also reduce the required hospital time and resource for this treatment.

“Though previously used in Europe, the Pulse Cath iVAC2L is new to New Zealand. Its introduction to this country last month, and the successful Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) procedure a few days earlier, further builds Waikato Hospital’s reputation as a cardiology centre of excellence,” Dr Menon said.

Image caption: The successful CHIP team following successful completion.

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Country’s first Cardiac Pulsed Field Ablation procedure successfully completed at Waikato Hospital

Source: Waikato District Health Board

In a national first, a Waikato Hospital cardiology team successfully completed a Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) procedure yesterday to treat atrial fibrillation.

The Waikato Cardiology team involved in Tuesday’s procedure

Cardiologist, Associate Professor Martin Stiles, described PFA as a minimally invasive procedure involving a physician team threading a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) through a vein in the groin, guiding it into the patient’s heart and “ablating” veins at the back of the heart.

“Traditionally, we delivered hot or cold energy into the patient’s heart tissue, creating scars that help to break-up electrical signals which cause irregular heartbeats.

“PFA achieves the same thing using a ‘non-thermal’ electrical pulse to irreversibly damage the target cells while sparing the non-target tissue, which conveniently have a higher threshold for damage. PFA is faster and safer as adjacent structures are not heated or frozen.

“While recovery times between the two types of treatment are similar, due to PFA procedures being faster, we anticipate more day-stay rather than overnight stays being required which will free up hospital beds.”

While PFA has been used in cancer treatment for about a decade, Assoc Prof Stiles said it has only recently been used in treating the heart.

“The technology is brand new. It has been used in Europe since mid-2021, was introduced in Australia last year, and, as of Tuesday, is now here.

“Using the previous technique we used to complete two cases a day. Tuesday was our first day and we did three. I expect that eventually we will be able to complete four per day.”

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