We were privileged to share in this Mum’s joy of the safe arrival of her twin boys.

 Still yet to be named, although we all had many suggestions!

 A great team doing a great job. Congratulations and thanks to all involved.

 Craig Foss and Chris Tremain, Hawke’s Bay’s National MPs, welcome the latest health target performance by the HBDHB.

 “Our local DHB have produced amazing results ,” Craig Foss says. “The team at HBDHB need to be thanked and acknowledge for their hard work at achieving these results. Well done.”

 “Hawke’s Bay DHB has made the most improvement in elective procedures and in helping smokers quit. In Hawke’s Bay, 91 per cent of hospitalised smokers are getting advice and support to quit smoking. Our Government has also  increased tax on cigarettes and banned tobacco displays.  That’s a win all round,” Chris Tremain says.

 One of the most impressive results for New Zealanders is the access to elective surgery. Around the country, every DHBs performed at least, if not more than, the number of elective procedures they planned.

“In fact, 26,000 more people than three years ago have had important procedures such as joint replacements, grommets for children, or cataract removal in the last year, “ said Craig. “Considering the impact of the Canterbury earthquakes, our DHBs have worked extremely hard to deliver better services for New Zealanders.”

 All cancer patients ready for radiation treatment started treatment within four weeks, except at the Christchurch cancer centre where one patient waited three days longer than targeted as a result of earthquakes.

 “National is committed to building and protecting our public health service. Our national health targets have been instrumental in supporting our doctors and nurses to provide even better care for patients. You, your family, and your community now have better access to the services you need.” Chris Tremain says.

 A copy of the results is available atwww.moh.govt.nz/healthtargets

The latest information, which covers the three months to June this year, shows that our HBDHB has made excellent progress. Highlights include achieving 103% of the target for elective surgery meaning that more HB people are getting the operations they need.

We have exceeded the national target of 90% immunised children by reaching 93% and we have exceeded the national smoking cessation target as well.

We are now at the world gold standard of cancer radiation treatment being delivered within four weeks of a patients first specialist assessment. Only a few years ago, some people needing radiation treatment had to go to Australia or wait up to 15 weeks for treatment. Now, both here in Hawkes Bay and around the country, that’s no longer the case.

The only area where we have not quite reached target is in the “Shorter Stays in Emergency Departments” category where the target is for 95% of patients to be admitted, discharged, or transferred from ED within 6 hours. Our DHB is close to the target at 94% which is a strong improvement.

I’m really pleased that our DHB is working so hard to achieve against our health targets as it is genuinely making a difference to people’s lives. National is committed to building and protecting our public health services, and I’m very proud to be part of a Government which is delivering on its promises.

Chris Tremain

 Craig Foss MP for Tukituki is rapt to be asked to officially open the new Central Hawke’s Bay Community Dental Clinic.

 “I have been asked, alongside by fellow National MP, John Hayes, to be part of the official opening at the new community dental clinic,” said Craig Foss. “ This is the first of the rural clinics to be opened, and it is great that it is based at the Waipukurau Primary School.”

 The National Government has invested in an Oral Health strategy. This is the sixth new dental clinic that the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board has opened since the Government implement the strategy.

 “This is great news for our kid’s teeth. Local children will benefit from modern and up-to-date equipment in a much friendlier environment, resulting in a much better experience all-round,” said Craig Foss.

How times and facilities have changed!

Here I am ‘visiting’ the new Central Hawke’s Bay Community Dental Clinic.

 I was asked, alongside by fellow National MP, John Hayes, to be part of the official opening at the new community dental clinic at Waipukurau Primary School. Local children will benefit from modern and up-to-date equipment in a much friendlier environment, resulting in a much better experience all-round.

Chris Tremain MP for Napier and Craig Foss MP for Tukituki are pleased with the latest announcement from Health Minister, Hon Tony Ryall. The Minister announced today the old Napier Hill Hospital site has been sold. This signals the green light for the rebuild of the much needed Mental Health Unit.

“The sale of the Hill site is fantastic news for Napier and for Hawke’s Bay” says Chris Tremain. “The derelict old buildings have been sitting there accumulating huge holding costs. This provides a wonderful opportunity for Napier city to move on and for a modern development to take place providing a huge shot in the arm for the city”.

The good news is that proceeds from the sale will mean the DHB can finally begin to plan a new $20 million plus Mental Health Unit.

“Chris and I began fighting for a new Mental Health Unit two years ago” says Craig Foss.” This is a great win for Hawke’s Bay. We will gain a purpose built modern Mental Health Unit using funds that were previously locked up and not available for the health of Hawke’s Bay”.

“I am particularly pleased that Craig Foss and I have been able to work with the Minister to allocate an additional $5 million of funding from central government to more than cover the accumulated costs from the sale process and to provide an additional cornerstone investment in the Mental Health In-patient Unit” says Chris Tremain.

Both MP’s agree that  it’s a win win all round. Napier now has prime land for development, encouraging local growth, and Hawke’s Bay will benefit from a new health facility.”

Craig said, “About 18 months ago Chris and I had the opportunity to take the Minister of Heath, Tony Ryall through the Unit. The Minister was surprised at the state of the facility and was of the opinion that this resource was overdue for an upgrade.”

“Both Craig and I have fielded concerns from across the Bay about the state of the unit. Some of our most vulnerable people need to use this facility at various times. This experience for these people is traumatic,” said Chris.

“An upgrade of the Mental Health Unit is long overdue, and we will work hard to ensure Minister Ryall makes it a priority.”

He referenced Flaxmere in his answer when he noted that: Flaxmere school children are one of the groups that have been targeted through a joint initiative between Hawke’s Bay DHB and te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga in a campaign called Say Ahh. The aim is to get parents to consent to having their children’s sore throats swabbed at school, and if a positive result is returned for the Streptococcus A Infection, the cause of rheumatic fever, they can be prescribed antibiotics by the school based nurse, operating under standing orders, or by their own GP.

Since the project was launched there have been no new cases of rheumatic fever in Flaxmere. In the first school term of the project 680 swabs were taken with 93 or 13.7 percent returning a positive result for Strep A infection.

Since the start of the 2011 school year 755 swabs have been taken with 112 testing positive (15%).

This positive attack on a nasty disease is awesome news and great for our Flaxmere kids!

I encourage you to check out their web site. It makes for an interesting read.

http://www.hbrescuehelicopter.org.nz

Three of four general practices in Wairoa will be amalgamated to form two general practices within the new health centre. Those practices are Wairoa Medical Centre, Queen Street Practice and Dr Underwoods Surgery. The fourth practice, Health Care Centre, will be sold to the two new amalgamated practices due to an upcoming retirement. Can I acknowledge the work of Wairoa doctor, Ron Janes, in helping to spearhead these changes.

As well as general practices, the new health centre will provide community health services including midwifery, physiotherapy, St John Ambulance and mental health services.

This is excellent news for Wairoa ensuring the sustainability of health services for many years to come. Importantly it will provide a state of the art health care centre which caters for most of Wairoas primary care needs. Attracting new doctors to Wairoa has been difficult due to the sole practitioner model and the huge demands placed on services patients 24/7.

The new centre will help to attract new doctors by allowing cross cover in weekends and after hours.
Wairoa has worked for years to establish a combination of services. As a result I’ve written a number of times in this paper supporting the concept of an integrated family health centre. I’ve also worked with the DHB to help bring this matter to a head. 

A big thanks to Chairman, Kevin Atkinson, the wider Board and CEO, Kevin Snee, for seeing real merit in this project and for working through the various difficulties. Well done to your Wairoa representative, Denise Eaglesome, who has worked behind the scenes towards a positive outcome.

When Wairoa did not have a representative elected to the DHB, I worked hard to ensure that representation was delivered for Wairoa by way of one of the Ministers appointments. So it’s great to see Denise making such a large contribution. While regional governance, such as the DHB, can bring real benefits it is critical that communities have strong representation to ensure their issues and concerns are regularly brought to the Board table.

In closing can I suggest that this initiative also provides a wonderful opportunity for local Maori health providers to work closely with the integrated centre to bring further health benefits to the wider community.

All in all a great result for Wairoa – well done to all concerned!

Chris Tremain