Health of children the focus of MDHB Health Award winners

The health of children the focus of 2014 MDHB Health Award winners

20 October 2014

In a celebration of a decade of excellence, with a record 64 entries, the tenth MidCentral DHB Health Awards’ Supreme Award went to those helping our youngest and most vulnerable.

The Supreme Award for Excellence in Integrated Health Care was won by the Child Health Tamariki Ora District Group. An interdisciplinary group, this team has worked on transforming the health services for children within the region. Recent initiatives such as the Newborn Enrolment Programme have seen great benefits, with 98% of newborns now enrolled with a GP.

To continue with keeping babies safe, they have championed funding for the recently appointed Pepi Haumaru/Keeping Babies Safe Coordinator, which is a permanent role to promote safe practices for taking care of babies. They will be working to promote these safe practices in every health encounter, from antenatal classes, to the birthing suite, through to community care.

Their nocturnal enuresis (bed-wetting) service has also seen great benefits. Using a nurse-led model of care, they assess, manage and follow children to help cure their bed-wetting. This has resulted in a cure rate of over 80%. Other projects focusing on autism, eczema, asthma and gastroenteritis have all seen fantastic results.

The judges thought that this made for an excellent example of integrated health care, with members from secondary and primary care, and many different organisations, including Central PHO, Iwi providers, NGOs, Police, education, Child Youth and Family, and others.

They said: “Collaboration and integration have been central to all activities and the service developments have resulted in real improvements in child health across the district.”

Alongside the other eight categories, two special awards were handed out on the night. The first went to MDHB CEO Murray Georgel who recently announced his resignation. He was given an award in appreciation of 20 years of dedicated service to MidCentral DHB. The other special award went to neurologist Dr Anna Ranta, in recognition of the outstanding contribution she has made to MidCentral DHB.

The other finalists for the Supreme Award were: Bum Busters programme – Bollard’s Pharmacy; Dr Anna Ranta; Newborn Enrolment Programme; MidCentral Health’s Gastroenterology Service; MidCentral Health’s Orthopaedic Service; Maori & Pacific Health Team – Te Waiora; U-Kinetics – UCOL; Paediatric Gastroenteritis Assessment – MidCentral Pharmacy Group and Public Health; Crisis Respite – Dalcam and Clinical Network (Mental Health); Improving Health Outcomes Working Group – Central PHO); MidCentral Immunisation Team; PETALS – Central PHO.

The full list of winners is:

Supreme Award ($3000 prize)

Excellence in Integrated Health Care Award: Child Health Tamariki Ora District Group – For a series of initiatives that have transformed child health services within the district, through collaboration and integration.

Category winners ($2000 prize per category)

Best use of Technology in Health Care Award: Westella Homestead - Dalcam Healthcare – Using simple and readily available technologies to provide dementia patients with maximum independence.

Excellence in Optimising the Health Status of Priority Populations Award: Whanau Tri – Sport Manawatu – For making a huge impact in the health of many, particularly Maori.

Excellence in Intersectoral Collaboration to Improve Health and Social Outcomes Award: Clinical Network Programme – Providing an effective way of promoting intersectoral collaboration and targeting specific health issues.

Excellence in Research and Innovation in Health Care Award: Dental & Oral Rehabilitation – Bruce Murdoch, Broadway Surgical Clinic – Innovation that provided a major improvement in quality of life for patients.

Health Professional of the Year Award: TIE Dr Delamy Keall – Tararua Health Group & Dr Simon Allan – Arohanui Hospice – Dr Keall for an outstanding, patient lead commitment to primary care; Dr Allan for his contribution to the development of palliative care.

Excellence in Workforce Education and Development Award: Transformational Leadership Programme – Providing an environment where participants from all areas of the health and disability sector can learn and grow.

Most Significant Improvement Over 10 Years Award: MidCentral DHB Immunisation Team – Teamwork across sectors that has resulted in ten years of continuous improvement, to the point where they are now national leaders in their area.

The Judges’ Choice Award: Gastroenterology Service, MidCentral Health – Faced with a huge workload, they reorganised themselves and focused on a commitment to the long term benefits of the service’s users.

ends

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