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):

B4 School Check Programme Chronic Care Management Team Immunisation Service PATHS (Providing Access To Health Solutions) Renal Resource Nurse Social Worker Strengthening Families

Diabetes Nurse Specialist
Diabetes Podiatry Service
Manaaki Hauora Wellness
Support Team (listed to right):
Pharmacist Facilitator
Primary Care Mental Health Team

The business unit of WRPHO is based on the Wanganui Hospital grounds and has a management, coordination, support and administration function. The roles in this area include:

Administration
Business Manager
Business Operations Facilitator
Chief Executive Officer
Clinical Director Primary Health
Clinical Services Manager - WRPHO & Gonville Health
Communications Coordinator
Health Promotion
Health Workforce New Zealand
IT Administrator
Operations Manager
Practice Facilitator
Projects Administrator
Projects Leader
Quality Coordinator

Administration

The team consists of:

• Administration Assistant - Katrina Kemp
• Administration Officer / Accounts - Lisa Mailman
• Administration Officer - Linda Walker
• Administration Support - Amanda Collins

Providing administration support to the WRPHO team, which involves a variety of functions, including support to the Business Manager. 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 Manager

Teresa Hague is responsible for developing and maintaining quality financial systems for WRPHO and its three subsidiary companies.  This includes identification and mitigation of financial risk and ensuring organisational compliance with legislative requirements.  Teresa also provides oversight of financial services carried out by WRPHO financial team on behalf of external primary health care entities requiring support with financial functions.

Teresa can be contacted on (06) 348 0109 extn 714 or email teresa.hague@wrpho.org.nz

Business Operations Facilitator

Alison Pavlovich maintains the financial functions of WRPHO and provides monthly financial statements, including financial forecasting and narrative reporting.  The application of sound accounting practice and provision of robust reports supports strategic decision making by WRPHO and subsidiary company Governance Boards.

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 the three subsidiaries of WRPHO - Whanganui Accident & Medical, Gonville Health and Taihape Health Ltd.

Judith can be contacted on (06) 348 0109 extn 702 or email judith.macdonald@wrpho.org.nz

Clinical Director Primary Health

Julie Nitschke's role as Clinical Director Primary Health is a strategic one. It focuses on collaborative initiatives and service models designed to meet population health needs, identifying infrastructure development opportunities to support clinicians in their roles, explorative and collaborative development of systems and processes to keep pace with local, regional and national initiatives. Julie works with WRPHO Clinical Directors, general practice teams, Whanganui DHB Director of Nursing, Medical Director, Director of Allied Health and Funding and Planning Division. She participates on a number of key groups, including community advisory group, clinical governance, mental health steering group, nurse leaders steering group, and is an advisory member on the WDHB Hospital Advisory Committee.  

This is an integral role in primary clinical leadership and governance, service planning, workforce development, nursing leadership and development, risk management, patient safety and striving for clinical excellence.

Julie can be contacted on (06) 348 0109 extn 725 or email julien@wrpho.org.nz

Clinical Services Manager - WRPHO & Gonville Health

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, presentations, electronic noticeboard, etc. and also produces, critiques and formats publications, e.g. newsletters, service plans and reports. The media component to this role involves the production of regular newspaper adverts, articles, press releases, radio advertising and the exploration of other mediums for promotion.

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. 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 an Education Sub-committee and the organising of a monthly 'Wanganui Inter-Professional Education' (WIPE) 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 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 and Wanganui Foot Clinic. Rural Clinics are held at Ratana Health Care, Rangitikei Health Centre, Taihape Health Ltd and Waimarino Health Centre.

Health Promotion

Sharon Duff supports new and existing health promotion initiatives. WRPHO works collaboratively with General Practices, Te Oranganui Iwi Health Authority PHO, Whanganui DHB, Iwi health providers, Wanganui District Council, and other health, education and community organisations. Health promotion currently has a focus on the following areas:

• Empowering communities by working with support groups, community groups, self-help groups, educational initiatives, Wanganui District Council, NGO’s.
• Helping to build healthy environments. The WRPHO is involved in two home insulation projects for age specific groups. The initiatives are for clients with respiratory conditions.  
• Working with the community to support healthy eating. WRPHO continues to support distributions of vegetable plants and tubers, vegetable seeds and fruit trees. We concentrate on distributing to low decile populations.
• Working towards better access for all to health care. WRPHO works on supporting transport initiatives, efficient patient-centred care, and identifying the patient journey.

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

Health Workforce New Zealand

Health Workforce New Zealand (HWNZ) funding assists Registered Nurses undertaking postgraduate (level 8) Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) and New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) approved papers towards a formal postgraduate qualification.

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) are invited to apply for HWNZ funding each year.

For further information and application forms please contact Declan Rogers, HWNZ Programme Coordinator on 021 809 761 or email Declan.Rogers@wdhb.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

The Manaaki Hauora Wellness Support Team is made up of various sub-groups:

• B4 School Check Coordinator - Janine Spence
• Chronic Care Management Team, Nurses - Rihipeti (Rihi) Karena and Tania Bailey
• Chronic Care Management Team, Community Health Workers - Jackie Tataurangi, Andre Mason and Lucia Fua'ava
• Immunisation Coordinator - Sue Hina
• Immunisation Administration Support - Andrea Bishop
• PATHS Coordinator - Chris Hogan
• Renal Resource Nurse - Lee-Ora Lusis
• Social Worker - Pam Scott
• Strengthening Families - Tracy Matthews

B4 School Check programme

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. 

Chronic Care Management Team

The Chronic Care Management 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

Immunisation Service

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.

PATHS (Providing Access To Health Solutions)

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 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.

Renal Resource Nurse

The Renal Resource Nurse works alongside patients, carers and their whanau, supporting them with health issues associated with kidney disease. Also connecting with the three main health providers (Mid-Central Specialist Renal Unit, Wanganui Hospital, Wanganui General Practices) involved in supporting patients with renal disease.

Social Worker

The social work service is undertaken in conjunction with the general practice teams, counsellors and clinicians within the Manaaki Hauora Wellness Support Team. This provides a more holistic approach to both the medical treatment you receive and social work support. The Social Worker will:

• Visit you in your home at a time convenient for you
• Talk through any concerns and assist with problem solving
• Prioritise and set tasks to assist with any concerns
• Assist with accessing relevant community services
• Advocate on your behalf with other community agencies
  

Strengthening Families

Strengthening Families is a valuable process, which family/whanau with children under the age of 17 years old can access if they are requiring support and assistance to address issues that may be presenting for the adults and/or children in the family/whanau unit.  Family/whanau have to have two or more agencies involved already, e.g. GP, Plunket, School, Childcare agency, WINZ, Jigsaw Whanganui, and have to give consent in order for the Strengthening Families process to proceed.  Referral and consent forms can be obtained from the Strengthening Families Co-ordinator based at WRPHO.

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.

Janine can be contacted on (06) 348 0109 extn 715 or email janine.rider@wrpho.org.nz

Pharmacist Facilitators

Fiona Corbin and Sala Tiko-Temo are 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

Practice Facilitator

Robyn Finucane aims to work alongside general practice teams in the Whanganui district to achieve Cornerstone Accreditation, PHO Performance Programme (PPP) 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

She also undertakes 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, Janet Mace and Sue McMenamin
• Kaupapa Maori Counsellors (Kaiwhakaruruhau) - Del Davis and Tina Thompson

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.

Projects Administrator

Matt Rayner carries out this role, providing administrative services to specific projects within WRPHO.  The two current key projects are the Whanganui District Diabetes Contract and the PHO Performance Programme. Other projects include the Skin Lesion project, Population Health and register management.

Matt can be contacted on (06) 348 0109 extn 704 or email matt.rayner@wrpho.org.nz

Projects Leader

Providing l eadership and facilitation to ensure identified WRPHO services and projects reflect the needs of the WRPHO population, and that activity is delivered to a high standard with key objectives achieved. This role supports the development, improvement and maintenance of identified services and projects. Current areas of focus are:

• Family Violence
• Diabetes - chronic care
• Child Health
• Immunisation Contracts (Childhood and HPV)  
• Before School Check
• Pasifika Health

Quality Coordinator

Jeanette Hague's role focuses on the development of infrastructures, including quality structure, policy development, records management and archiving, and customer relations.

WRPHO views compliments, complaints, feedback and suggestions as valuable tools to assist us in maintaining or improving our standard of services to the community.  We encourage you to talk to Jeanette if you have a concern about any of our services. Many complaints or concerns can be resolved quickly, once they are brought to our attention.

Jeanette can be contacted on (06) 348 0109 extn 711 or email jeanette.hague@wrpho.org.nz