Health shuttle funded for one year
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Funding to run the Buller health shuttle has been granted for one year.
The shuttle was provided by the Buller branch of the Red Cross from 2012, to transport people 100 kilometres from Westport to Greymouth for medical appointments.
It operated with support from Buller REAP, which co-ordinated patient requested bookings.
"The Red Cross are transitioning away from providing this and similar community transport that they have run throughout the country; the Buller service being the last in the process," a planning and funding update to the West Coast DHB advisory group said this week.
The Buller service was taken on by St John at the beginning of this month and is now known as the Kawatiri Health Shuttle.
"The service has been invaluable to those people who have faced transport issues over the years, and with St John now picking up service provision this is very much welcomed."
The Kawatiri service was funded for one year at this stage, based on Ministry of Health advice given to the board based on the transition to the new health system, DHB staffer Ben Hingston said.
They were "confident" the service would be sustainable beyond the transition period.
St John already operates a similar service in the Grey district and between Hokitika and Greymouth.
Board member Anita Halsall-Quinlan, of Westport, said it appeared the service was being run based on staff availability and asked if there were set days and times it would be available so it retained a broad reach into the community.
Hingston said St John would try to match accessibility to the shuttle with patient appointment times, "but there are no set times".
Board member Helen Gillespie noted it would be reliant on St John being able to co-ordinate volunteer drivers and Hingston said it would be up to that organisation to facilitate the availability of volunteer drivers.
The service would continue to operate at no cost to passengers.
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Meanwhile, increased funding has enabled the West Coast District Health Board to double capacity of the Poutini Waiora-led kaupapa Maori Well Child Tamariki Ora services.
A report to the board's advisory group this week said increased funding had meant it would be able to increase staffing from a 0.5 full time equivalent position to almost fulltime, from the beginning of next month.
"The increase in funding will contribute to improved equity of access to kaupapa Maori services for whanau living across the West Coast."
The previous funding level had limited Poutini Waiora's ability to provide a comprehensive service to whanau.
It was expected the additional staffing would improve Poutini Waiora's capacity to deliver Kaupapa Maori Well Child Tamariki Ora services to more whanau and enable "more intensive support" to those already engaged in the service.
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Public health funded 'health improvement practitioners' and health coaches will be soon starting work at medical practices in Hokitika and Greymouth.
A report to this week's DHB advisory group said the West Coast Primary Health Organisation's first round of recruitment for the Integrated General Practice Primary Mental Health and Addictions Service had been successful enough to cover practices in the two towns.
Practitioners and coaches would work as part of general practice teams providing people with "immediate support and tools" for wellbeing.
The first practitioner and coach began work at the Westland Medical Centre on May 23.
Additional practitioners would be joining Coastal Health and the Te Nikau Health Centre in Greymouth on completion of their training in July and August.
Recruitment had commenced for the role in Buller.
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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83.3% Yes
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14.3% No
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2.4% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we're having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️