Celebrating Health Volunteers During National Volunteer Week
Hon Simeon Brown
Minister of Health
Minister for Mental Health
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey are marking National Volunteer Week by recognising the extraordinary contribution of volunteers to New Zealand's health system, including this year's recipients of the Minister of Health Volunteer Awards.
This year's theme – Volunteering weaves us together – highlights the power of volunteering to strengthen the fabric of our communities, helping build a stronger, more inclusive New Zealand.
'Since 2013, the Minister of Health Volunteer Awards have been an excellent way for us to celebrate the wonderful health volunteers we have across the country. Over the past few months, I've been visiting the 2024 recipients in their communities to personally thank them, concluding with my final visit today.
'The recipients come from all corners of New Zealand and range in age from 17 to 90. It's been inspiring to meet these volunteers, hear their stories, and see firsthand the difference they make.'
Recipients include:
Tarihira Anaru, winner of the Health Care Provider Service Award, who has volunteered since 2014 with Canterbury's Better Breathing Programme, helping people with respiratory conditions through education and gentle exercise.
Trevor Johns, winner of the Long Service Award, who has served with Hato Hone St John for 46 years and, at 91, continues as a Health Shuttle driver and hospital volunteer in Rotorua.
Aloese Lefono, winner of the Pacific Health Service Award, who leads a support group uniting Pacific people with Parkinson's and their families through connection, education, and care.
The Hohepa Student Volunteers, a group of 23 students from Cashmere High School (Years 12 and 13), who generously give their time to visit people with intellectual disabilities.
The Te Whare Manaaki team of Tolaga Bay, winners of the Māori Health Service Award, who provide vital community support, including emergency relief during Cyclone Gabrielle, and continue to strengthen local services.
The Cancer Society Oncology Hosts, winners of the Community / NGO Award, who support cancer patients and families across the country.
Mr Doocey has also met with award recipient Tanja Collinge, winner of the newly introduced Mental Health and Addiction category.
'It was my pleasure to meet Tanja, who co-founded Red Door Recovery and has volunteered as its cook since 2014. After her own journey of recovery following a brain aneurysm, Tanja has used her skills to give back and help others on their path to wellness,' Mr Doocey says.
'I've seen firsthand how powerful connection can be for mental health. I've also witnessed the profound impact that volunteers, particularly those with lived experience, have on the people they support.'
Together, these volunteers remind us that a compassionate, connected health system relies not just on professionals, but on the generosity of people willing to serve others. Their work strengthens our communities and supports the wellbeing of thousands.
'I know how small acts of kindness – a cup of tea, a listening ear, a word of encouragement – can make all the difference during difficult times,' Mr Brown says.
'Thank you to all the volunteers who support the health system. Your kindness, empathy, and dedication have a profound impact on the lives of New Zealanders.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
3 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Faster treatment not always fairest
Anyone who has struggled to get elective surgery will not be surprised a report from the Auditor-general shows the post code lottery in healthcare is in better shape than they are. In the report, "Providing equitable access to planned care treatment", tabled in Parliament last week, John Ryan says the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act requires Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora to ensure Māori and other population health groups have equitable access to the health services they need. This means ensuring access to elective or planned treatment is based on clinical need, not background, circumstances or where they live. He concluded the way treatment is provided is often not equitable or timely. It depends on where you live. Those waiting longer are disproportionately those living in rural areas, those socially deprived, Māori, Pacific peoples, and those with disabilities. Thresholds to qualify for treatment are not consistent across the country, a throwback from the old district health board days, and although there is work under way to introduce national thresholds, this is not going to happen overnight. A national threshold has been introduced for cataract treatment. This meant about 1800 people were added to the waiting list in the Southern district. The report shows the huge variance in the orthopaedic thresholds. In Southern, for instance, your condition would need to be significantly worse to qualify for treatment than if you were in Canterbury or Auckland. The Auditor-general is far from the first to raise concerns the government's emphasis on using the private sector to provide more timely treatment could result in less equitable access to treatment. For a start, private hospitals providing outsourced treatment are not equally distributed across the country. (Health Minister Simeon Brown has downplayed this issue, citing the availability of the National Travel Assistance Scheme to help those who have to travel away from home for treatment. However, despite some improvement to the rates last year, this still leaves anybody travelling a long distance by car for treatment considerably out of pocket.) As the report notes, those selected for treatment in private would generally be non-complex patients. Patients with comorbidities making them unsuitable for treatment at the private hospitals were more likely to be Māori and Pasifika or socially deprived. Another issue raised in the report was the lack of translation services in some private clinics, so they might not accept patients with no or limited English language. Complex patients not suitable for private hospital treatment would remain on a waiting list in a public hospital while others with similar clinical needs would be treated privately. "This can complicate efforts to ensure that long-waiting routine patients are prioritised and, ultimately, that Health New Zealand provides treatment equitably for all New Zealanders." Making changes in one part of the stretched health system can often affect another part, something not always fully appreciated by policy makers. The report points out, for instance, when clinicians spend more time providing planned care, they have less time to provide first specialist assessments. Another concern of the Auditor-general is the lack of information about unmet need, and although he acknowledged this could be difficult, HNZ would benefit from a better understanding of it. "A good place to start would be to measure the level of unmet need from people who are referred for assessment but do not meet current treatment thresholds," he wrote. There have been calls for better understanding of unmet need for years, but little enthusiasm from politicians to assess this in a comprehensive way, possibly because they are fearful of what it would expose. Mr Ryan's planned care recommendations for HNZ include making a plan with clear times for introducing nationally consistent thresholds, acting to improve equity of access and ensuring faster access did not increase inequity, strengthening knowledge of unmet need, and clear public reporting on how long people wait for treatment, variations in access and how it will improve equity of access. The issues raised in the report should be taken seriously by HNZ and its political masters, but the government's almost simplistic focus on its narrow set of health targets does not convince us they will be.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
New Digital Platform To Help Women Detect Breast Cancer Earlier
Minister of Health Around 135,000 women across New Zealand who are eligible but not currently enrolled for breast cancer screening will benefit from the successful national rollout of a new digital platform, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. 'The launch of Te Puna across the country is a major step forward for delivering faster and smarter screening services,' Mr Brown says. 'Te Puna replaces an outdated legacy system with a modern, streamlined platform that makes it easier for women to enrol, book, and manage their breast screening appointments – helping more women get screened earlier.' The new system, which began rolling out in February, is now live nationwide. It introduces a more proactive approach to screening, with women now automatically identified when they become eligible and invited to book a mammogram – shifting from an opt-in to an opt-out model. 'This change will significantly boost participation and help close the gap for the 135,000 eligible women who aren't currently getting screened. 'Early detection through regular mammograms is critical. Women diagnosed through screening are about 34 per cent less likely to die from breast cancer. This new system will make it easier for more women to get the checks they need, when they need them.' Te Puna significantly enhances data tracking, accuracy, and reporting – helping providers identify and reach women who have never screened or don't screen regularly. It also improves convenience for patients, allowing women to book or change appointments using a secure personalised link or QR code sent via text, email, or letter. 'This Government is focused on lifting screening rates to save more lives and improve treatment outcomes. Te Puna will play a vital role in achieving that. 'We're also delivering on our commitment to extend breast screening to women aged 70 to 74, with rollout of the expansion beginning later this year. 'Every woman deserves the chance for early detection and timely treatment. Te Puna is about putting the right tools in place to deliver better care, faster – and ultimately, to save lives,' Mr Brown says.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Construction begins on new $88 million mental health centre in Lower Hutt
Health Minister Simeon Brown. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER Construction has begun on a new $88 million mental health unit in Lower Hutt, which the government says will improve mental health outcomes for New Zealanders. The Sir Mark Dunajtschik Mental Health Centre will provide 34 adult acute inpatient beds - ten more than the existing Te Whare Ahuru. The government was investing $38 million in the construction of the facility, while $50 million was being donated by Wellington philanthropist Sir Mark Dunajtschik. Sir Mark also donated $50 million towards the new Wellington Children's Hospital in 2017. This morning Health Minister Simeon Brown, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and Hutt South MP Chris Bishop all took part in a sod-turning ceremony to celebrate the start of a project. Doocey said Sir Mark's contribution would leave a legacy of hope and care that would benefit generations to come. He said the purpose-built centre would help ensure New Zealanders in distress receive timely, appropriate care. "This project is about more than bricks and mortar. It's about improving lives and delivering the mental health outcomes New Zealanders deserve," he said. Doocey said people experiencing severe distress deserved care in the right environment, at the right time. "It's not only better for them, but it also helps take pressure off our busy emergency departments," he said. "That's why mental health care must be underpinned by high-quality infrastructure that enables clinicians and support staff to deliver the safe, effective, compassionate care Kiwis deserve." Brown said it was an important milestone for Lower Hutt and the wider region. He said the new facility would be purpose-built to support modern models of care, which would help to deliver better outcomes for patients and their families. "It will also enhance the region's mental health infrastructure, offering safer, more therapeutic spaces for those in urgent need." The current Te Whare Ahuru acute inpatient unit was built in 1995. In 2021, it came under fire from the Chief Ombudsman for being not fit for purpose. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
