Te Waka Hauora O Waitaki | Waitaki Health Futures Project aims to improve coordination and access to health and wellbeing services for the people of Waitaki.
It is a partnership between Waitaki District Council, Te Runaka o Moeraki and Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora.
The Waitaki community is invited to have their say on the shape of healthcare services in the district. This will include face-to-face workshop sessions and a community survey that you can take here.
Community and whānau voice gathered during the community engagement period will inform service design. Community engagement will run between Monday 16 September and Saturday 5 October.
The project is community led. The project team includes local people from Oamaru Hospital; providers Te Hā o Maru and the Oamaru Pacific Island Community Group (OPICG); the WellSouth primary health network; the Stronger Waitaki Coalition; Hato Hone St Johns and others, as well as leaders from the three partners - Waitaki District Council, Te Runaka o Moeraki and Health New Zealand.
Improvements to coordination and access will ensure future health service provision is clinically and financially sustainable for the Waitaki community.
We expect improvements will begin implementation from early 2025.
Have Your Say: Engagement opportunities
Surveys are open until Sunday 6 October:
Survey questions relate to the following image of Waitaki health services, and include:
- What do you and your whānau need to stay well in the community?
- When you or your whānau are unwell, what would you want from the health system to improve your health and wellbeing?
- Think about the health and wellbeing services you and your whānau access - what have you liked about your experience?
- Think about the health and wellbeing services you and your whānau access - what didn't you like about your experience?
Fill in a paper survey at one of the following locations:
- Oamaru Library
- Oamaru Hospital waiting room
- Oamaru & Kurow General Practice waiting rooms
- Other locations
Engagement Sessions run between Monday 30 September and Saturday 5 October
Come along to any of the following public sessions - there is no need to pre-register.
| Public Session | Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kurow Feliz & Sage Cafe – Drop-in session | Monday 30 September |
5:30pm – 7:00pm | Feliz & Sage Cafe, 16/ 18 Bledisloe St, Kurow |
| Palmerston Community Centre –Engagement session | Tuesday 1 October |
5:30pm – 7:00pm | Community Centre - 104A Ronaldsay Street, Palmerston |
| Oamaru Te Whare Koa Community Marae – Engagement evening session | Wednesday 2 October |
5:00pm – 7:00pm | Te Whare Koa Community Marae, 19 France Street, Oamaru |
| Oamaru Brydone Hotel – Engagement afternoon session | Thursday 3 October |
1:30pm – 3:00pm | Moeraki Room, Brydone Hotel, 115 Thames Street, Oamaru |
| Oamaru Brydone Hotel – Engagement evening session | Thursday 3 October |
5:30pm – 7:00pm | Moeraki Room, Brydone Hotel, 115 Thames Street, Oamaru |
| Oamaru Library – Drop-in session | Friday 4 October |
10:00am – 12:00pm | Oamaru Library, 62 Thames St, Oamaru |
| Hampden Library – Drop-in session | Saturday 5 October |
9:00am – 12:00pm | Hampden Library, 27 London Street, Hampden |
| Oamaru Pacific Island Community Group – Various engagement opportunities, contact OPICG for details | Monday 30 September to Friday 4 October | Various | Oamaru Pacific Island Community Group (OPICG) 22-26 Ribble Street, Oamaru info@oamarupacific.nz 0800 674 247 |
Contact Us
You can also provide us with direct feedback via email. Email us at twpcomms@tewhatuora.govt.nz
FAQs
Te Waka Hauora O Waitaki | Waitaki Health Futures Project: Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the Waitaki Health Futures project?
The Waitaki Health Futures Project (the Project) is an initiative aimed at improving coordination of healthcare services across the Waitaki district. The project focuses on developing an integrated, sustainable, and community-centred healthcare model that meets the future needs of the region's population.
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Who is leading the Waitaki Health Futures project?
The Project is a partnership between Te Runanga o Moeraki, the Waitaki District Council and Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, and working with Oamaru Pacific Island Community Group (OPICG), Kati Huirapa Runaka ki Puketeraki, Stronger Waitaki, Hato Hone St John and WellSouth PHO.
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What is the approach of the project?
The Project is community-led and co-designed, working closely with local leaders from the Waitaki community. The project outcomes will be informed by community and whānau voice gathered during the engagement period Monday 16 September to Sunday 6 October.
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What is the scope of the project?
The Project scope includes services funded by Health New Zealand Waitaki region, such as hospital service, primary and community, Hauora Māori, Pacific, mental health and aged care. -
How will the project engage the local Waitaki community?
The Project will be informed by community and whānau voice gathered during the engagement period, Monday 16 September to Sunday 6 October.
We want to know how people use these services and what they like and don’t like about them. There will be printed copies and online versions of a survey and multiple community engagement sessions – with specific sessions to identify the voice of the Māori and Pacific communities (particularly Tongan, Fijian and Tuvaluan) and working with the disability community.
Mental health, addiction, suicide prevention and aged care services will be sought to provide a health system view.
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Why is Waitaki District Health Services Ltd (WDHSL) no longer managing Oamaru Hospital?
Oamaru Hospital is an important part of the healthcare network in the Waitaki District and has an important role to play in the wellbeing of the community.
A joint decision was made between the Waitaki District Council and Health New Zealand to transfer management back to Health New Zealand to ensure financial and clinical stability going forward.
Waitaki District Council continue to own the hospital grounds and buildings.
The transition of the Oamaru Hospital management occurred separately to the Waitaki Health Futures Project.
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Has there been an impact from the hospital transition?
The smooth transition of Oamaru Hospital management to HNZ occurred earlier this year, which occurred separately to the Health Futures project. It is an example of health services and local partners working together to undertake significant change with no disruption for patients or staff.
“Oamaru Hospital is an important part of the healthcare network in the Waitaki District and has an important role to play in the wellbeing of the community.”
Our top priority was ensuring the sustainability of Ōamaru Hospital. Health NZ considers Ōamaru Hospital an essential part of the healthcare network in the Waitaki District. The joint transition program led to a smooth transition for the community and staff, with no impact on healthcare services.
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What is the next phase of the project?
After consideration of community and whānau voice, the next phase of the project is local workshops where we will consider how health services are delivery for people now and look at ways to improve coordination and access to health and wellbeing services.
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How will the Waitaki Health Futures project impact me as a resident?
The project aims to improve coordination and access to quality healthcare services for all residents. This includes more efficient healthcare delivery, and enhanced community health programs tailored to the unique needs of the Waitaki district.
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How can I stay informed about the progress of the project?
Regular updates will be provided through official press releases, and the project’s website - Waitaki Health Futures Project | Southern Health | He hauora, he kuru pounamu
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When will the project be completed?
It’s expected the new healthcare model will be implemented in stages from in 2025
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Who can I contact for more information or specific questions?
For more information, you can contact the project team via email at TWPcomms@tewhatuora.govt.nz
Media Releases
Community to help shape future of Waitaki healthcare services - Monday, 16 September 2024
The Waitaki community is being invited to have its say on shaping the future of healthcare in the district.
“The aim of the project is to improve coordination and access to health and wellbeing services for the people of Waitaki,” Health New Zealand Community Integration Group Manager Aroha Metcalf says.
“To do this, we want to know how people use these services and what they like and don’t like about them.”
Te Waka Hauora O Waitaki - Waitaki Health Futures Project is a partnership between the Waitaki District Council, Te Runanga o Moeraki, and Health New Zealand. The project was launched last year.
Other key partners include Oamaru Hospital; providers Te Hā o Maru and the Oamaru Pacific Island Community Group (OPICG); the WellSouth primary health network; and the Stronger Waitaki Coalition.
Metcalf says the smooth transition of Oamaru Hospital management to HNZ earlier this year – which occurred separately to the Health Futures project – was an example of health services and local partners working together to undertake significant change with no disruption for patients or staff.
“Oamaru Hospital is an important part of the healthcare network in the Waitaki District and has an important role to play in the wellbeing of the community.”
Metcalf says the project aims to ensure publicly funded health services in the Waitaki district work together to provide comprehensive local services. It aims to remove some of the barriers to health services, address inequity of health outcomes that some rural communities experience and relieve pressure on some tertiary services in the region.
“We do need to ensure that future health service provision is clinically and financially sustainable,” Metcalf says.
“This includes looking at models of care that enable better access for Waitaki communities, which will mean some services offered closer to home, reducing the need to travel.”
Waitaki District Council Oamaru Ward councillor Tim Blackler says it has been a long-term ambition of both the council and Health NZ to address barriers to access and improve service coordination in Waitaki.
“By taking part in this survey, the community can have an important role in shaping the future of services in the district,” he says.
Te Rūnanga o Moeraki representative Trevor McGlinchey says: “The Runanga really encourages whānau Māori to fill in the surveys and participate in the community engagement meetings to ensure any changes in services meet whānau needs”.
Community engagement will run from September 16 to October 6, allowing project partners to listen and respond to local knowledge from the community, whānau, and service providers about what works well and what doesn’t.
It will kick off with online and paper surveys open from September 16 and will include several targeted community engagement and drop-in sessions.
It’s expected the new healthcare model will be implemented in stages from early 2025.
Partners
Working with:
