Staff roles and the services we provide

The Whanganui Regional Primary Health Organisation (WRPHO) provides a range of out-reach and mobile clinical services that are focused on strengthening primary health care, through the provision of services at general practices or via home visits. If you are enrolled with the WRPHO the following clinical services are available free to you through a referral from your GP or Practice Nurse (click on service name for information):

Diabetes Nurse Specialist
Diabetes Podiatry Service
Manaaki Hauora - Wellness Support Team
Manaaki Te Whanau - Supporting Family Health
PATHS (Providing Access to Health Solutions) Service
Pharmacist Facilitators
Primary Care Mental Health Team
Primary / Secondary Coordinator

The business unit of WRPHO, based in a central Wanganui city office, has a management, coordination, support and administration function. The roles in this area include:

Administration
Business Analyst
Chief Executive Officer
Clinical Training Agency (CTA) Programme Coordinator
Communications Coordinator
Health Promotion
IT Administrator
Operations Manager
Pou Takenga / Cultural Liaison
Practice Facilitators
Projects Administrator
Quality Coordinator
Quality Services Manager

Administration

The team consists of:

• Reception / Administration Assistant - Katrina Kemp
• Administration Officer / PA to the CEO - Lisa Mailman

Providing administration support to the WRPHO team, which involves a variety of functions, including support to the Business Analyst. A key role of administration is to ensure that responsive communication processes occur within the team, specifically to the CEO and management, the wider service and externally with key stakeholders.

Business Analyst

Teresa Hague is responsible for developing and maintaining quality financial systems for the organisation.  This has recently developed into a supporting role for the completion of financial reporting for the subsidiary companies, Whanganui Accident and Medical clinic, Gonville Health and Whanganui City Health.  Teresa also supports the operational financial functions of the local IPA, Progressive Health (NZ) Inc. as a separate entity. Monthly financial statements and narrative reporting is provided to the WRPHO Governance Board to support strategic decision making.

Chief Executive Officer

Judith MacDonald is the WRPHO CEO. This role is responsible, accountable and focused on the results to be achieved, as outlined within the annual and strategic plans for the organisation. This includes financial, human resources, clinical indicators, business performance, community relationships and quality and risk performance. WRPHO is a PHO that has retained all business functions in-house and internally manages all these activities. In addition the CEO is a Director of three subsidiaries of the WRPHO - Whanganui Accident and Medical, Whanganui City Health clinic and Gonville Health clinic.

The CEO is also an external advisor to the operational board of Otaihape Health Limited. A newly established not-for-profit entity, that is responsible for an integrated health service model consisting of residential care, inpatient, outpatient, community and general practice services for the Taihape community.

Clinical Training Agency (CTA) Programme Coordinator

This role is a joint agreement between WRPHO, Te Oranganui Iwi Health Authority and the Whanganui District Health Board - Provider Arm. The scope for Declan Roger's position is: 

• Targeting Registered Nurses working in clinical practice in the Whanganui region (Primary Health Organisations, Whanganui District Health Board Provider Arm, Non- Government Organisations and Aged Care Sector) about CTA postgraduate nursing funding for 2009.
• Liaising with employer's of nurses and clinical service areas regarding service requirements for postgraduate education.
• Working with the CTA advisory team on streamlining, developing processes and policy to ensure they are effective, efficient and sustainable into the future.

Declan can be contacted on (06) 348 0109 extn 718 or email declan@wrpho.org.nz

Communications Coordinator

Karen Veldhoen designs and produces of a wide range of resources promoting and supporting WRPHO services, e.g. this website, service pamphlets, flyers, posters, logo development, certificates, photography, powerpoints, etc. and is also involved in producing, critiquing and formatting publications, e.g. quarterly PHOcus newsletter, service plans, reports, etc. The media component to this role involves the production of newspaper and magazine adverts and articles, the coordination of radio advertising and the exploration of other mediums for promotion, and the designing of material as required.

This position is varied and includes the coordination, support and promotion of community and service wide projects, e.g. Healthy Homes project, Gonville Centre Development, Grab a Bite That's Right project, Medication DUMP campaign, Breast Screening Campaign, etc. As the point of contact for the service, this role maintains internal and external communications, especially between the WRPHO and general practices. The supporting of general practice also includes the coordination of a monthly 'Continuing Clinical Education' forum - providing clinicians opportunities for ongoing learning and upskilling.

Karen can be contacted on (06) 348 0109 extn 708 or email karenv@wrpho.org.nz

Diabetes Nurse Specialist

Delia Williams provides diabetes education and management services to:

• Clients that have lifestyle / medication compliance issues and require reassessment and review of their diabetes, including patients on insulin.
• Newly diagnosed adults with type one diabetes
• Glycaemia control issues
• Suboptimal control for type two diabetes mellitus

Delia has clinics at both urban and rural locations within the Whanganui DHB region. Urban clinics are held at Aramoho Health Centre, Castlecliff Healthcare Ltd, Wicksteed House, Whanganui City Health and Te Waipuna Medical Centre. Rural clinics are held at Waimarino Health Ltd, Taihape & District Medical Trust, Ngati Rangi Community Health Centre and Rangitikei Health Centre. Delia can be contacted at Wanganui Hospital on (06) 348 3081.

Diabetes Podiatry Service

Leo Brown is contracted by the WRPHO to provide podiatry clinics for people diagnosed with diabetes, who meet the criteria for referral, and have existing foot problems that require the attention of a specialist.

This service is provided free to the patient and held at both urban and rural clinics. Urban clinics are held at: Te Waipuna Medical Centre, Whanganui City Health, Castlecliff Healthcare Ltd and Aramoho Health Centre. Rural Clinics are held at Ratana Health Care, Rangitikei Health Centre, Taihape & District Medical Trust and Waimarino Health Centre.

Health Promotion

Sharon Duff supports new and existing health promotion initiatives. For health promotion to work effectively, collaboration is a key ingredient. Health promotion currently has a focus on the following areas:

• Community development and engagement with local communities, through the establishment of Gonville Centre - encompassing a range of health and community services
• Healthy Homes - a project providing free house insulation to home owners and subsidised insulation to landlords with rental properties, who fit the criteria
• Supporting the Healthy Eating Healthy Action (HEHA) Strategy through the ongoing maintenance of the 'Grab a Bite That's Right' project; which aims to improve community access to affordable fresh fruit and vegetables. Several initiatives have been developed in collaboration with the community to meet the project aims, including the growth and distribution of fruit trees

Sharon can be contacted on (06) 348 0109 extn 707 or email sharon@wrpho.org.nz

IT Administrators

Darin Bailey and Robin Howard are responsible for the effective operation and maintenance of the service IT systems, ensuring optimum performance and availability. They coordinates the exchange of data within the WRPHO and between other health providers, and actively contributes to the administration management team.

Manaaki Hauora - Wellness Support Team (formally High Needs Team)

The team consists of:

• Manaaki Hauora Nurses - Rihipeti (Rihi) Karena, Maree Veuger-Rurawhe and Lee-Ora Lusis
• Manaaki Hauora Community Health Workers - Jackie Tataurangi and Andre Mason

The team works alongside GPs and the practice team, the patient and their families in the development of an integrated care plan. In this way the areas that are impacting on quality of life are addressed, which often results in reduced presentations to health services. The service works across sectors, such as housing, employment, Work & Income NZ and involves advocacy and support for patient and families, as well as supporting the GP to develop innovative solutions.

Referral is free through your Doctor or Practice Nurse, but you must meet one of the following criteria:

• Maori or Pacific Island ethnicity, or from the lower socio-economic group
• High user of secondary inpatient services and/or high hospital admission rate
• Have two or more chronic medical conditions and/or co-morbidities
• Patients who would benefit from case management that are not under MCHT or MHA
• Have lifestyle factors which impact on health

Manaaki Te Whanau - Supporting Family Health Team (formally Immunisation Team)

The team consists of:

• Project Leader - Angela Johnson
• Immunisation Coordinator - Sue Hina
• Immunisation Project Facilitator - Erin Cvitanovich
• Before School Check Coordinator - Janine Spence
• Administration Support - Andrea Bishop
• Support Worker – Lucia Fua'ava

WRPHO delivers two contracts within the Immunisation service:

1. Immunisation Coordination - Contracted from the Ministry of Health this service aims to improve the health and well-being of:
   • Children/tamariki in the region by increasing scheduled vaccine coverage rates toward the national target of 95% fully vaccinated by two years of age.
   • Audits in the region by increasing the uptake of free influenza vaccination by those eligible.
     
     
2. Outreach Immunisation Service - Contracted through the Whanganui District Health Board, this service is designed to enhance existing immunisation services by:
   • Building on and enlarging the capacity of current Well Child/Tamariki Ora and primary care services to provide immunisation within a range of contexts, including the home.
   • Using community networks to assist with locating children aged under five years, whose immunisations are substantially overdue and facilitating their vaccination by following up with the families of these children.

In Whanganui the B4SC is provided by nurses within the general practice setting. The WRPHO also offers clinics in other community settings in the city and rural areas. This is a free health check, which is ideally offered shortly after a child's fourth birthday, to ensure that if any referrals are required as a result of the check that these are completed prior to the child starting school at five years. 

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) - Immunisation (Gardasil): 

The HPV Programme was started in 2008 to prevent HPV infection and, in the long term, to significantly reduce the number of women in New Zealand who develop cervical cancer.

• To be effective you must have three doses of the immunisation (Gardasil) over six months
• Women still need to have regular cervical smear tests even if they have been immunised
• Immunisation is free for more than 300,000 New Zealand girls who are eligible for the Programme (under current funding commitment to 2012)
• From 1 September 2008, all young women born in 1990 and 1991 can be immunised by their doctor, practice nurse or health clinic
• All girls born after 1 January 1990 are eligible for the New Zealand programme
• The HPV immunisation has been added to the National Immunisation Schedule for girls in school year 8 (or age 12 if not delivered in school) from January 2009 on an on-going basis
• There is a catch-up programme available for girls born on or after 1 January 1990 
• Girls born in 1990 and 1991 have until 31 December 2011 to start the programme
• Girls born from 1992 onwards have until their 20th birthday to start the immunisation programme.  If they have not received dose one by their 20th birthday they cannot start the programme.

Operations Manager

Janine Rider is responsible for the operational management of WRPHO's primary health care strategies, goals and objectives. Her portfolio covers financial, human resources, contractual and information management.  This incorporates quality systems and processes, including the implementation, monitoring and reporting of contractual/service provision (internally and externally). The Operations Manager supports WRPHO by providing strategic and operational advice, information and assistance to the operational team, as well as supporting the CEO by providing process and information to assist Governance with decision making.

PATHS (Providing Access to Health Solutions) Service

This programme was developed as part of the Sickness and Invalid Benefits Strategy. The Government, through the Ministry of Social Development, funded an integrated package of services to support sickness and invalid beneficiaries who want to get back into employment. The expert package of care compromises of a primary nurse, a mental health practitioner, a work and income case worker and a medical advisor. The nurse, Chris Hogan, provides support that focuses on managing health related barriers to employment.

The aim of PATHS is to ensure that, for PATHS participants, barriers to employment driven by health isses (identified at the commencement of the client's involvement in PATHS) have been successfully removed or minimised to the extent that return to paid work is possible.

Pharmacist Facilitators

Julie Wells and Fiona Corbin are two qualified clinical pharmacists, who work closely with the patient, their doctor and any other health professionals involved in their care, to help ensure that the patient is obtaining the maximal benefit from their medicines. This service will:

• Help you understand how your medicines work and the benefits you can expect from them
• Help to ensure that all your medicines (prescription and others, e.g. 'over the counter', herbal, etc) work together
• Provide you with lifestyle advice to ensure that your medicines are working best for you
• Help to ensure that you are getting the most benefit from your medicines

Pou Takenga / Cultural Liaison

Piri Rurawhe is the Pou Takenga / Cultural Liaison for the service. The key responsibilities for this role are to work alongside the WRPHO team and wider members, to develop increased cultural competency, awareness and knowledge through maximising mentoring, education and training opportunities. Piri supports the team through cultural leadership to ensure respect for Tikanga and Kawa. He is responsible for engaging with key stakeholders to support the development and implementation of the WRPHO Annual Maori Health Plan.

Practice Facilitators

The team consists of:

• Urban Practice Facilitator - Robyn Finucane
• Rural Practice Facilitator - Gemma Kennedy

The Practice Facilitators aim to work alongside general practice teams in the Wanganui district to achieve Cornerstone Accreditation, Performance Management Programme targets, immunisation and diabetes rates, and safe, effective, efficient, personalised, timely, equitable patient centred care, through:

• Supporting practices to redesign care processes
• Effective use of information technology
• Knowledge and skills management
• Strengthening teams
• Coordination of care across patient condition services and settings over time
• Use of performance and outcome measurement for continuous quality improvement and accountability

They will also undertake to lead the introduction of any new clinical initiatives e.g. Dr Info, Dashboard, smoking cessation and the cervical screening contract.

Primary Care Mental Health Team

The team consists of:

• Mainstream Counsellors - Barbara Charuk and Janet Mace
• Alcohol & Other Drugs Counsellor - Debbie Biggar
• Kaupapa Maori Counsellors (Kaiwhakaruruhau) - Del Davis and Tina Thompson
• Social Worker - Janie Kingi

WRPHO has a contract with the Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Health to provide early intervention mental health services to people presenting in general practices with mild to moderate mental health issues. The Ministry of Social Development contract focuses on sickness and invalid beneficiaries who are diagnosed with stress and depression anxiety. The service comprises of counsellors integrated within general practice surgeries and a community based social worker. The team works closely with other WRPHO clinicians and other community agencies.

The Alcohol & Other Drugs (AOD) service is now in its second year. This year a new and exciting service has been developed to support Work & Income case managers with some of their clients who may have AOD issues or be a concerned other. Part of this contract is to up-skill case managers in being able to identify possible AOD issues and refer clients to the appropriate service, in the hope of being able to offer clients a comprehensive assessment, treatment plan and a relevant diagnosis, e.g. client may be on sickness benefit for depression, however also drinking on a daily basis and due to alcohol use is unable to work. As with all other AOD clients referred from GP practice staff or PHO staff, the GP will remain central to client care.

Primary / Secondary Coordinator

Barbara Cornor works between primary and secondary services to:

• Foster improved communication and working relationships between primary and secondary care, based on ongoing commitment from key stakeholders
• Participate and collaborate in initiatives that improve processes and systems between primary and secondary care services

Projects Administrator

Matt Rayner carries out this role, providing administrative services to specific projects within WRPHO. The two current key projects being the Whanganui District Diabetes Contract and the Performance Management Programme. Other projects include the Skin Lesion project and the Rural Cellulitis project. Further responsibilities include register management and very low cost access.

Quality Coordinator

Jeanette Hague's role focuses on the development of infrastructures, including quality structure, policy development, records management and archiving and compliance with requirements of the Privacy Act.

Quality Services Manager

Julie Nitschke's role as Quality Services Manager is a strategic one, with the implementation of systems and processes in order to keep pace with service expansion. The focus of this role is on service planning, nursing development, risk management, quality and leadership. This involves the development of plans, frameworks and reports, and working with clinicians to help them evolve in their roles.