CE update - December 2019

Merry Christmas.

I have only been in this role four months but a lot has happened in this short time. The upshot of a busy introduction is it helps to more rapidly gain an understanding of an organisation, our strengths and the challenges ahead.

As the year comes to a close I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and happy New Year and hope that most of us are able to take some time out to relax and recharge.

Waikato staff helping at Whakatane Hospital.

I also want to thank each and every one of you for the work you have done to care for our patients this year, keeping them safe and working through some unrelentingly busy times. A particularly big thank you must go to those who will be working over the Christmas period to ensure a high level of care continues.

This month has also underlined the incredible dedication of our staff at a time of crisis and I want to acknowledge this and give thanks to everyone who has helped to care for those injured in the Whakaari/White Island eruption. Waikato Hospital staff responded immediately and with great professionalism and dedication to provide an excellent response to this major incident. These sad times are a reminder of the importance of family and our loved ones as life is so precious.

It has been incredible to see all the support for the victims, emergency services, and medical staff following this event. This week the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marise Payne, visited New Zealand and asked that we pass on just how humbled and grateful she was for the support and care provided to the Australian citizens who were injured.

As you will know, Whakatane Hospital was where all patients arrived immediately following the eruption. This week some of our Thames and Waikato Emergency Department (ED) staff came together and gave up their days off to help give cover for staff at Whakatane Hospital so that they could have a bit of rest and recovery. I thought that was quite a special gesture.

We have a busy year ahead of us for 2020, starting with the implementation of our changes to the leadership team. We’ll be working our way through the Transformation programme and starting to embed the Waikato Health System Plan, Te Korowai Waiora.

There are also changes pending for the campus as we look forward getting the design of the new mental health and addictions building underway and further improvements to provide better care and support to our people with mental health and addiction challenges.

Thank you again for all the hard work and I look forward to seeing everyone in the new year.

Ngā mihi