New Greymouth hospital capacity tested
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Te Nikau Hospital in Greymouth is being tested to capacity as Covid-19 continues to rage through the region.
West Coast District Health Board operations manager Philip Wheble said those presenting at the hospital had "quite complex" needs.
"We're having some challenges around our inpatient activity, around capacity at Te Nikau," he told the board's advisory committee meeting.
Te Nikau was generally about 91% full at the midnight capacity measurement time, meaning there was not a lot of room to make more beds available for incoming patients overnight.
The 91% capacity figure essentially meant there were three spare beds at peak time, Wheble said.
Rest homes were also under pressure.
"We do have some issues with access to aged residential care. That is being resolved now."
Covid-19 had made for "a challenging time... [but] the teams have done a remarkable job".
Mr Wheble noted the GP shortage in Reefton, which would be without a doctor throughout winter. An "enormous effort" was planned to find a locum.
Currently the DHB was using GP staff from its other practices to conduct a once a week clinic in Reefton, combined with nurse and telehealth appointments. Telehealth waiting times for Reefton patients needing to consult a doctor were currently four days. Reefton is 80 kilometres away from the nearest GP surgeries at both Greymouth and Westport.
Wheble said the reopening of Ziman House rest home at the Reefton Hospital had been postponed until August, "at this stage".
Advisory group chairman Peter Neame asked if the board had done anything yet about instituting some regional training given the national nursing shortage impacting on the board's capacity to operate facilities, such as at Reefton.
"If you don't have some sort of regional training, you are going to be seriously short," Neame said.
Wheble said work was beginning to bring back some West Coast-based training for enrolled nurses and aged residential care support staff "with a capped training programme".
However, general registered nurse training was more of a problem as it was mainly polytechnic or university-based.
Kalle
"Sports and travelling run in the family, and that's kind of what's led me to come to New Zealand."
"I grew up in a small town in Finland. My dad was involved with sports all his life, he was a shot putter, discus thrower, powerlifter, we traveled quite a bit when I was a kid. He never mentioned much of the rugby days. He just said he broke both of his shin bones playing rugby, so he said, ‘never play the sport, It's crazy.’
I started playing when I was 18. I played my first cap for the Finnish national team in 2014, we won the Finnish championship with my club. Rugby is not a big thing in Finland.
I moved here to play rugby in 2017. The club that wanted me to come over was Methven Rugby Club. They got me here and they were like, ‘what do you do for work? I’d just finished chef school in Finland. ‘We'll get you a job at Mount Hutt as a chef, you can do that while you play rugby with us.’ I said, ‘Perfect. Yeah, I'm in’.
I've always loved food. My mum was an amazing cook, and still is. When I was studying tourism I worked in some hotels in Finland, and I saw how the chef's worked. I just loved the kitchen vibe and I was like, Yeah, that’d be something I'd love to do.
I've had more of a culinary journey In New Zealand than in Finland. I started at Mount Hutt, after that I worked at The Dubliner in Methven. I worked as a senior pizza chef at Sal’s for maybe six months then worked as chef de partie at Cellar Door. At Eliza's Manor, I worked myself up to a junior sous chef. Then the opportunity came to work my first head chef job at Moon Under Water.
We're privileged to have a busy atmosphere, we can try new things and get a bit creative. There are no TV’s, just come here with your family or with your mates, play board games, to socialise.
I really want to drive the local food and ingredients through the menu. We don't mind spending more for quality ingredients as long as it's supporting New Zealand businesses. We just love to use local. And it's pub food, but I feel like it's elevated.
I play club rugby here for the Christchurch Football Club, the oldest club in New Zealand and I still play regularly for the Finnish national team, whenever they can fly me over to play."
- Kalle
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
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Poll: Is it okay to grocery shop in your PJs?
I'm sure you've seen it while doing your weekly shop... In fact, it may have even been you.
What do you think about people heading to the supermarket in their pyjamas?
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14.5% It's fine!
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75% It's questionable
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10.6% Other - I'll share below
Vanessa
“Giggly girt! Giggly girt!”
“See I got my hair cut on Friday. I've got my hair band to keep it up. See? Like this I keep it up.
Biscuit Blair - she's my favourite woman. And you. And that cheeky lady over there.
My last name is Rule. I'll write it down for you, you silly old duff.
I was born on West Coast. I moved here when I was a little girl.
I like doing pictures here that’s why I like pictures. Doing art. I like going for a walk. I come here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.
My sister, I go see her on Saturday. Have a cup of coffee, at home. She's five, nine. 59. I'm five, seven, 57. This year I'll be 58. My birthday's on a Thursday. I'm having chocolate cake and pizza. And lolly ice cream.
Some people are noisy. Nicholas, and Peter and Chris, they are my friends and that giggly girt over there.
I get headache sometimes at other work, because noisy.
I'm happy here. I could go for a walk if I want to. I'm good.”
- Vanessa, White Room Creative Spaces
The White Room is a community creative space that removes barriers to
making art. Through this, artists build confidence and connections and
embrace new opportunities.
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