4 April 2022
One minute with… Angela Blunt, Health Services Manager, Kaikoura Health Te Ha O Te Ora What does your job involve?
What are the challenging bits?
I manage Kaikoura Healthcare, the general practice within Canterbury DHB’s Kaikoura Health. I also manage Kaikoura Health’s Facility and Housekeeping teams alongside a Canterbury DHB nurse manager. Together with the nurse manager I have responsibility for the integration of services within the teams.
COVID-19 has been challenging just for the sheer volume of work it has created and the amount of space it has taken in our working and outside lives.
Why did you choose to work in this field? I practised law for many years in New Zealand and overseas before marrying a farmer and moving to Kaikōura to buy my husband’s family farm. I have always enjoyed helping people and I was looking for an opportunity to utilise the skills I developed in law. As my children were getting older, I applied for a role with the Canterbury Clinical Network to facilitate the development of the Kaikōura Model of Care. It all started from there and I realised health was an interesting place to work with great people to work with. What do you like about it? The people who work in health, the genuine desire to make things better for people and the can-do hardworking attitude that is prevalent. The challenges to think outside the square to provide as much care close to home for our patients.
Who inspires you and why? My Dad, an Irishman with a huge heart, who is generous of spirit and self and who never says it can’t be done – there is always a way. What do Canterbury DHB’s values (Care and respect for others, Integrity in all we do and Responsibility for outcomes) mean to you in your role? They are vital to a high functioning health system and a great functioning life. Personally, these values are great life values too and are among those I like to think of as my personal values. Something you won’t find on my LinkedIn profile is… I used to be an Irish dancer (once an Irish dancer always an Irish dancer) and taught it in Kaikōura for many years. If you could be anywhere in the world right now it would be… New Zealand, the most beautiful country in the world, and where most of the people I love live!
What do you do on a typical Sunday? Church, then coffee with friends, a walk, read a book, and when my children are home I enjoy cooking up a Sunday dinner for them all. What’s your favourite food? At the moment, salmon cooked Japanese style in sake. And your favourite music? Almost everything from classical, to folk, to rock. My favourite musicians are often Irish – U2, Van Morrison, The Corrs, The Saw Doctors, and Mary Black, but I do love Sting too. I love to sing!
If you would like to take part in the column or would like to nominate someone please contact Naomi.Gilling@cdhb.health.nz
18
