Nova February 2007

TE WHETU MARAMA

THE OFFICIAL STAFF NEWSLETTER FOR THE AUCKLAND DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD

February 2007

New look NOVA

City MissionChristmas Appeal

Round the Bays

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Comment from thechief executive

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Did you know thatyour department

can now becomevalues accredited?

In order to become a' v a l u e s - b a s e d '

organisation we needto bring our values of

r e s p e c t , i n t e g r i t y,i n n o v a t i o n a n d

effectiveness alive ineveryday work practice.

To become accredited, yourward or department must

demonstrate that the fourvalues are visible, understood

and applied in the workplace,and that employees can give

examples of how recognition ata local level is based on the

values.

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o nbecoming Values Accredited, or on

the individual Nova Awards, visit theValues page under CEO News on the

Intranet.

Becoming ValuesAccredited

Healthy Communities, Quality Healthcare

There are two things that are special about thisedition of NOVA. First, we have a great new look,designed to make reading ADHB news andinformation a more user-friendly and contemporaryexperience.

The second thing is that this edition of NOVAcelebrates Our Health 2020, which is the strategyto achieve our goal of Lifting the Health of AucklandCity. Our Health 2020 is on the way to makingADHB a true DHB; that is, a DHB that is more thanjust hospitals and clinics, rather emphasising ourentire community, with all the components of thehealth system working together to serve it.

On the front cover of this NOVA is a photographof children from Kids Domain, the Auckland CityHospital staff preschool. Our aim is that by the year2020, these children and their peers will reside ina city where people enjoy healthy, active lifestyles.We want to maintain Auckland City as a placewhere people who are sick and injured receivesuperior care. As you know, our vision is HealthyCommunities, Quality Healthcare.

Our Health 2020 is already helping to achieve thisvision. The five key streams of cardiovasculardisease and diabetes, mental health, child health,older peoples health and cancer are all underwayor in development. This issue of NOVA providesan overview of the Our Health 2020 strategy (seepage 2) and highlights some of the excitinginitiatives underway to achieve improvements tothe health of our community.

NOVA is a great way to keep up to date withinnovations like Our Health 2020 as well as ourprogress as an organisation. Another is to attendone of the six-monthly State of the Nationaddresses, which are coming up in March. Theseone-hour seminars give a snapshot of where weare at as an organisation, and provide an updateon our progress and achievements. I encourageyou all to attend a session - Im really delightedwith our progress and Im looking forward tosharing our good results with all of you. The positiveforecast is all down to the hard work of our verytalented team thank you.

I hope you have enjoyed the holiday and festiveseason and are looking forward to a great 2007.

Change for the better

The Careers Centre has joined Epsom Day Unit as a values accrediteddepartment of ADHB.

In introducing the values, The Careers Centre staff got together todiscuss what the values meant to them collectively. They identifiedbehaviours that epitomised each value, and used the information tomake colourful posters which were then displayed around their offices.

Every month, the staff get together for Inspire Us, an initiative in whicheach team presents to the rest of the group one way they havedemonstrated the values in action over the past four weeks.

Director of Talent Carol Brown says that introducing the values intothe workplace has contributed to a positive working environment andhas improved understanding of the organisation amongst the staff ofthe Careers Centre.

Integrity

Innovation

Respect

Effectiveness

Kia u ki te tika me te pono

AWARD

Te whetu - Marama

Values Recognition

The team at the Careers Centre.

Careers Centre gains Values Accreditation

The Our Health 2020 strategy is the keyto making ADHB a true DHB, say DenisJury, Chief Planning and Funding Officer, and Tom Schaefer, Manager Our Health2020, who head up the team behind theplan.

For Our Health 2020 is based on thesevery three principles: a life courseapproach to health, (how we fund thewhole spectrum from health promotionto primary care and so on, through toadvanced hospital care), a focus on howthe whole system functions, and measur-able, tangible results (outcomes).

At ADHB, our primary goal is to Lift the

What makes a true DHB? According tothe team behind Our Health 2020, its aDHB that is more than just hospitals andclinics.

A true DHB takes account of everyone inthe community, rather than just thoseindividuals who are sick or injured.

Working across the continuum of healthin its activities, a true DHB factors inpeople who may only visit their local GPoccasionally, as well as those who requiremore comprehensive health services.Working to achieve population healthoutcomes is key to this approach.

To achieve this requires workingcollaboratively, across the entire healthsystem, engaging with primary,secondary and tertiary care, as well aspublic health, private healthcareproviders, and other related sectors.Being outcomes-focused meansinitiatives are funded to achieve healthgain, and produce real improvements inthe health status of our population.

Page 2 DirectionsHei Oranga Tika, mo te Iti me te Rahi

Becoming a true DHBNOVA investigates how Our Health 2020 is lifting the health of Auckland City.

Health of Auckland City, and Our Health2020 is the strategy that aims to achievethis goal, says Denis Jury.

Research by the Our Health 2020 teamidentified five main priority areas whichthe plan focuses on: child health, mentalhealth, the health of older people,cardiovascular disease and diabetes, andcancer. Each of these priority areas has anindividual Health Improvement Plan, andimplementation plan, which details specificinitiatives to improve the quality anddelivery of health services in each area.

The child health, mental health, healthof older people and cardiovasculardisease and diabetes plans have beencompleted, while the cancer plan will becompleted this month. You can readmore about the different projects inthis issue of NOVA, and keep an eye outfor updates as the work progresses.

Each priority area has a separate HealthImprovement Plan, but several themesare common to all five priority areas. Theplans encapsulate the national HealthyEating, Healthy Action strategy (HEHA),and place emphasis on Maori and Pacifichealth, population growth and change,workforce issues, information systemsand evaluation.

Our Health 2020 has fivepriority areas:

cancer

cardiovasculardisease and diabetes

child health

mental health

health of older people

Whats it all about?Our Health 2020 in a nutshell

Our Health 2020 is the strategy toachieve ADHBs primary goal ofLifting the Health of Auckland City.

Our Health 2020 is based on 3principles: taking a life courseapproach to health, viewing healthas a whole system, and producingmeasurable increase in health gain.

The strategy is on track to makeADHB a true DHB; that is a DHBthat is more than just hospitalsand clinics.

Our Health 2020 has five priorityareas: child health, mentalhealth, health of older people,cardiovascular disease anddiabetes, and cancer. Each area hasan implementation plan, called aHealth Improvement Plan.

Themes across all priority areas areMaori and Pacific health, HealthyEating Healthy Action, populationgrowth and change, workforceissues and evaluation.

Bringing it to lifeA common criticism of strategic plans is that they rarely eventuate in any action,instead languishing on a shelf in someones office. Our Health 2020 is different,with many projects already underway. Each initiative has clear actions, keyperformance indicators, intermediate outcomes, and long term outcomes. Takethe following example of PREDICT. PREDICT is an electronic clinical decisionsupport tool that can provide a health practitioner with their patientscardiovascular risk score, providing a strong base to guide therapy and monitoring.You can read more about PREDICT on page 3.

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Action: e.g. rollout of PREDICTto GPs

KPIs: number of people screened, number ofpeople participating in disease managementprogrammes, retinal screening rate and bloodtest results

Our Vision

Hei Oranga Tika,mo te Iti

me te Rahi

Healthy Communities,Quality Healthcare

Live withinour means

Lift the healthof people in

Auckland city

Leadperformanceimprovement

Goal

Goal Goal

Intermediate outcomes:improved glycaemiccontrol, blood pressure,cholesterol etc

Vital outcome:Populationhealth gain

Long term outcomes:reduced complicationssuch as blindness, renaldisease etc.

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A true DHB takesaccount of everyonein the community


Our Health 2020:Cardiovascular disease and Diabetes

NOVA looks at some key projects in the CVD/DiabetesHealth Improvement Plan.

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PREDICT CVD/DiabetesCurrently very little data generated in primary care practiceanywhere in the world is sufficiently standardised to beable to be used to produce new evidence. New Zealandgeneral practitioners are already world leaders in the useof electronic medical records and now have the opportunityto lead the world in the use of high quality evidencegenerated from their own practice to improve patient care.

The rolling out of the software across Auckland has beena huge undertaking says Tom Schaefer, manager of OurHealth 2020 at ADHB.

An enormous amount of technical support has beenrequired during the installation of the PREDICT software inmedical practices and we have been working closely withthe PHOs to try and ensure that it runs as smoothly aspossible.

Whilst the health screening that PREDICT provides is aninvaluable tool for health practitioners, just as importantlythe system also provides patients with information on howto better care for themselves. Therefore, PREDICT can beused to both prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetesand to improve the outcomes for those patients withdisease.

Plans are currently in progress to take PREDICT out into thecommunity in April so individuals can be screened at theirwork or local church.

ADHB is aiming to have all people at risk of cardiovasculardisease and diabetes screened in the next few years so thatAucklanders can be provided with the best form oftreatment.

Diabetes Self-management Programme

ADHB has taken huge strides in introducing the computerprogramme PREDICT in medical practices throughoutAuckland and by February 2007 it is estimated that 80% ofall GPs in the city will have access to the tool.

PREDICT is an electronic clinical decision support tool thatcan provide a health practitioner with their patientscardiovascular risk score, demonstrating their likelihood ofdeveloping heart disease and diabetes.

Furthermore, PREDICT provides information on how bestto treat the patient and reduce their health risk. Thisinformation can be used by health practitioners to discussappropriate treatments and provide advice to patients onhealthcare.

The PREDICT software was developed by the University ofAucklands Professor Rod Jackson, using funding from theHealth Research Council Of New Zealand.

Its fantastic to see the support being given to theimplementation of PREDICT-CVD/Diabetes by the ADHB,says Professor Jackson.

PREDICT offers primary care practitioners (and theirpatients) moment of care advice on managingcardiovascular disease and diabetes risk based on the latestNew Zealand evidence-based guidelines. It also generatesa standardised anonymised risk factor profile every time itis used.

PREDICT makes it possible for GPs and practice nurses toaccess the latest evidence tailored to the specific patient infront of them, while simultaneously generating New Zealand-specific evidence to identify the patients at highest risk.

The number of people with diabetes in Auckland City is nowthought to be around 16,000, about 30% more than evenrecently estimated, and expected to increaseto at least 18,000 by 2010. Of the individualscurrently with diabetes within the ADHBcatchment, it is estimated that ADHBservices know of and provide care for nomore than two-thirds of this group.

Diabetes has a very significant impact onthe health of the individuals affected,especially when preventative care isinadequate, and this impact transfersthrough to the health system that isresponsible for a lifetime of ongoing care.These facts have led to the approval for the funding anddevelopment of a diabetes self-management programmewithin ADHB.

As part of this initiative, and to help deal with the rapidly

increasing volume of patients diagnosed with diabetes,ADHB is developing new diabetes education programmes

that aim to empower patients to helpmanage their own medical needs.

The education programmes to be fundedwill be based on internationally recognisedmodels, such as the Stamford and Flindersmodels, of which there is a large body ofevidence to support their effectiveness inimproving outcomes for diabetics in manycountries with different healthcare systemsand different economic status.

The self-management programme will bedelivered to people in their own communities, in their ownlanguage and will enable people with diabetes to managetheir condition with the support of their family doctor andtheir families, says Barbara Stevens, Auckland PHO generalmanager.

The number ofpeople withdiabetes inAuckland City isnow thought to bearound 16,000

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Heart disease is a debilitatingand costly disease. It affectsaround 8000 people withinADHBs catchment area and itis a significant health concern.

In a bid to try and combat thedisease, funding has beenapproved for the creation andimplementation of an ADHBHeart Failure Programme.

Heart failure is one of the fewareas of medical treatmentwhere there is strong evidencefor the effectiveness oftreatment and clear evidence

that early and consistent treatment prolongs life. Therefore, itis important that patients are diagnosed accurately andmanaged appropriately.

The use of heart failure clinics in Australia, UK and the US, haveconsistently been proven to result in improved care, reducedadmissions and reduced costs. Therefore, the work at ADHBwill build off the work done throughout NZ, Australia, Europeand the US in establishing heart failure programmes.

The Heart Failure Programme will include the development ofclinical guidelines emphasising evidenced based care,establishment of protocols for the appropriate care of patientsthroughout Auckland City, increased support to primary care,the establishment of a dedicated heart failure clinic at ADHBand increased support for patient self management for thosewith heart failure. The programme will serve as the link betweenprimary and secondary care and aims to provide patients withoptimum care.

Dr Jim Kriechbaum, GP liaison for Cardiology at ADHB says "Itis an exciting opportunity for hospital based services to moveout into the community and enable Primary and Secondaryservices to work together for the benefit of patients. If theprocess is as successful as we hope, the concept could readilybe extended to a number of other clinical conditions."

The Heart Failure programme will be implemented fully during2007.

Hei Oranga Tika, mo te Iti me te Rahi Page 4 Getting to know

Heart Failure Programme Valentines Heart WeekThe Heart Foundation is holdingits annual awareness-raising weekfrom 12 18 February 2007, andwill be celebrating the many waysin which people can live a longerlife.

The weeks focus on healthy living recognises thefact that the majority of heart disease is preventableif action is taken to live a healthy lifestyle.

It also aims to encourage younger adults to thinkabout their heart-health earlier, with worryingstatistics showing that more and more people intheir twenties and thirties are being admitted tohospital for heart attacks than before.

ADHB staff members can help support the work ofThe National Heart Foundation of New Zealand bytaking part in Wear Red for Heart Day and makinga donation to the Heart Foundation on ValentinesDay Wednesday, 14 February 2007.

For further information visitwww.heartfoundation.co.nz

ADHB initiatives supportHeart Week

ADHB is supporting the National Heart Foundationin its goal to raise awareness of the importance ofhealthy living. From the appointment of a HealthyEating Healthy Action Manager for ADHB (see storyon Kate Sladden, new HEHA coordinator on page11) to reviewing ADHBs own policies on nutrition,working with schools to implement health-wisepolicies, and working with the community and ourPHOs to establish community based nutrition andexercise programmes, ADHB is taking a leadershiprole in helping the people of Auckland City leadhealthy lives. Watch NOVA in upcoming months formore news on our city-wide approach to improvingthe health of our residents.

Dr Jim Kriechbaum, GP liaison for Cardiology.

are provided with the necessary skills and tools to managetheir disease, with skilled backup available for those withmore complex needs.

The Diabetes self-management programme recognisesthe expertise and wisdom of existing diabetes services inthe Auckland District Health Board region and theparticipating PHOs would work collaboratively with thesegroups, says Barbara.

The Diabetes self-management programme is evidence ofADHBs commitment to ensuring a strong passion for healthcare quality and positive outcomes for patients.

It will require all the expertise available within both primaryand secondary care in ADHB to get on top of the DiabetesEpidemic, and to provide integrated high quality care forall individuals and communities; these new initiatives arepart of that progress, says Dr Paul Drury, Clinical Directorof the multi-disciplinary Diabetes Centre now based atGreenlane Clinical Centre.

The self-managementprogramme will bedelivered to people intheir owncommunities, in theirown language and willenable people withdiabetes to managetheir condition with thesupport of their familydoctor and theirfamilies, BarbaraStevens, Auckland PHOgeneral manager.

In addition, the ADHBDiabetes Centre will beproviding increased supportto PHOs and GPs so theycan better manage thei n c r e a s i n g n u m b e r o fpatients with diabetes.Furthermore, the overallreferral and communicationp r o c e s s e s b e t w e e npractices and the DiabetesCentre will be made easier.

The long-term aim is tocreate a more roundedshared care system wherehealth care providers arebetter equipped to helptreat diabetes and patients

shifts the focus of aged care fromillness and dependence to wellnessand independence. This requiresan attitudinal shift that focuses onthe whole person and considers allof their needs, not just specificreactionary health requirements.

The Strategy concentrates on fourmain areas: Wellness, Quality,Community and Home BasedSupport, and Residential Care. Keyinitiatives include an educationframework for the whole sector, includingregistered nurses and health careassistants, and the employment of twoclinical nurse specialists dedicated solelyto the sector.

A new electronic reporting andbenchmarking system will improvequality measurement, and quality auditsare to be implemented to ensureproviders of aged care are working to anagreed standard. Similarly, projects willalso aim to affect a more open culturewhere it is ok to complain.

In his opening address, Chief ExecutiveGarry Smith invited the audience to not

Page 5 Healthy Communities, Quality Healthcare

only be part of the strategy, but to beactive in the way the strategy aims tochange perceptions and support servicequality.

We want to ensure that the overallageing process is one that is valued andtreasured, he said.

For Joan, the overall aging processdoesnt look like its going to end anytimesoon she says she loves helping peopleand shes not ready to give up.

I think if you love people and love totalk to people and pray for each other,thats my secret.

I love helping people and Im not ready to give upHealthy Aging Launch celebratesaging without barriers

Joan Lievesley volunteers at the St Vincent De Paul opportunityshop on Onehunga Mall.

ADHB population between the genderswas in the age group 75+, with 60 percent more females in this age group.

In the ADHBs catchment, people ofEuropean descent form 54 per cent ofthe population compared to 68 per centfor the whole of New Zealand. Maori,Pacific and Asian were 8 per cent, 13 percent and 24 per cent respectively.

Forty percent of the ADHBs Maoripopulation were under 19 yearscompared to only 25 per cent for theother ethnic groups. However, only 6per cent of Maori were aged 60+compared to 14 per cent for the otherethnic groups.

Garry Smith, ADHB CEO, said thatunderstanding the future structure andtrends of the population is an importantstarting point for planning the healthneeds we will face over the coming years.

Aucklands population is growing rapidly,and it is estimated that by 2011 therewill be 460,000 people living within theADHBs boundaries.

For more information on the 2006 censusvisit www.stats.govt.nz

ADHBs diverse & growing population

What's the secret to staying fit andhealthy in later life? According to JoanLievesley, who recently turned 80, its tokeep active and help others.

Guest speaker at the launch of theHealthy Aging 2020 Strategy on Friday15 December at Auckland City Hospital,Joan inspired the Board members,Ministry of Health officials, members ofthe aged care sector, ADHB staffmembers and others with her livelyaddress.

Joan, who suffers arthritis and other age-related medical conditions, is an activevolunteer at a day care centre, works atthe local op shop, and is also involved incraft group, church and an arthritissupport group. Joan lives in her ownhome through the assistance of a modelof home care service that promotes achoice of goals, which support her needsso she remains independent, activeand involved in her community.

Joan shared her views on ageing withoutbarriers, the objective of the HealthyAging Strategy to improve healthservices for those aged 65+. The Strategy

The seven wards ofAuckland City

Did you know that 26 per cent of all Asianand 20 per cent of all Middle Easternpeople in New Zealand live within theADHBs boundaries?

These are just two of the facts providedin the latest New Zealand census whichgives a snapshot of the ADHB spopulation.

In terms of total budget Auckland DHB

is the largest districthealth board in theco u n t r y, w i t h a nannual revenue ofapproximately $1.3billion.

The ADHB has thesame boundaries asthe Auckland CityC o u n c i l a n d i sresponsible for thes a m e p o p u l a t i o nwhich, according tothe 2006 Census takenin March, stands at404,658. This is approx10 per cent of the totalpopulation of NewZealand, making ADHBthe fourth largest DHB

in terms of population size.

Fifty per cent of the local population wasin the age group 15-44; this wascompared to 42 per cent for the wholeof New Zealand.

The 2006 census shows that females inthe ADHBs area outnumbered males inall age groups except those under 15years. The most significant difference in

Our Health 2020 involves planningfor our changing community. In thisarticle NOVA looks at the uniquemake up of ADHBs population.

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From the professional partners

Looking forward to 2007

Hei Oranga Tika, mo te Iti me te Rahi Page 6 Inside health

By now most of us will be back at work, with oursummer break with friends and family a rapidlyreceding memory. A big thank you to all staff whoworked through the holiday period providingessential clinical services. Our holidays, however, giveus all an opportunity to reflect, recharge our batteriesand make New Year resolutions for 2007. Once again,there is much to be done and we have fantastic clinicalteams that will help us deliver quality clinical carewithin our available resources. There are two majorprogrammes of work that are continuing into 2007where we are actively looking for keen and interestedstaff to participate and lead the clinical and servicedelivery changes required so that we can continueto improve the delivery of health care both to thepopulation of Auckland City, and to the significantpercentage of our patients from out of our local DHB.

The Provider Arm will have a key focus on theOperational Efficiency Programme with its threestreams of work (the Surgical Process Review, AfterHours Models of Care and Capacity Planning). As thisprogramme hits full steam this year, a large numberof services and staff will need to become activelyinvolved in all aspects of this project so that we canachieve the gains needed for all of our surgicalpatients, meet our elective surgical commitments forour local population and improve our efficiency,throughput and forward planning of surgical patientsfor Auckland City Hospital. We would like to encourageyou all to become actively involved and drive thechanges your services require from within. The project team is here is supportyou to achieve your goals and will help us all to optimise our fantastic newfacilities. Please get in touch with us or Jacinda Hulse (Project Director) if youare interested in becoming involved in any of these workstreams.

Both our Funder and Provider Arms have much work to do with Our Health2020 Programme. During 2006, following extensive consultation withstakeholders, the Board was presented with five year Health ImprovementPlans for Child Health, Mental Health, Health of Older People andCardiovascular Disease and Diabetes. A one year Interim Cancer Plan will bepresented to the Board in February and a five year Health Improvement Planfor Palliative Care will be discussed in March. This completes our suite ofplans and the work we have already commenced during 2006 was highlightedto the Minister of Health at his recent visit to our DHB on 25th January. Thereare several articles in this version of Nova that further highlight specificinitiatives. A welcome strength of this programme of work is that it is signallingreal and significant commitments to a number of partnerships between theFunder and Provider Arms, and the community (non-governmentorganisations) that we work closely with. The boundaries are blurring andthis has to be good for our local community as we all learn to workcollaboratively. Contact Tom Schaefer (Our Health 2020 Manager) if youwould like more information or wish to become involved in any of theseworkstreams.

Top to bottom - Chief medicalofficer David Sage, executivedirector of nursing TaimaCampbell, and director ofAllied Health Janice Mueller.

The Professional Partners held an importantmeeting covering wide ranging topics onNew Years Day 2007 aboard Davids yacht inCoromandel Harbour. Key learnings from themeeting included the fact that our CMO isnavigationally challenged and as aconsequence, we discovered that David andHeather have recently been hitch hiking inthe hot Coromandel sun. It is stronglysuggested that asking him for directions beavoided

ADHBs commitment to ensuring that palliativecare is available to patients who need itregardless of diagnosis, prognosis or place ofcare is evident with the establishment of aPalliative Care Steering Group, which has madesignificant progress since its inception sixmonths ago.

Made up of a cross-section of acute inpatient,private and community health professionals,the group has drafted an Adult Palliative CareStrategy that will go to the Community andPublic Health Advisory Committee in April. Itwill then go out for consultation.

The draft strategy places an emphasis onpartnership, and highlights the importance ofworking together. It acknowledges ADHBsrole in supporting primary care andcommunity providers. One proposed initiativeinvolves the possibility of nurses working inthe palliative field to move between differentsettings to gain new skills and receive greaterexperience and education.

Other innovative initiatives include a mobilepsycho-social team to provide support todifferent parties, including staff, and a jointinitiative with the Donny Trust to implementthe Liverpool Care of the Dying Pathway (LCP).The LCP is a tool used to improve the qualityof care for people who are in the last few daysof life. It will be implemented over time insettings where people die and thus involvewards in Auckland City Hospital, rest homes,general practice and private providers. Thepathway has been piloted successfully atMidCentral DHB and is used extensively in theUK, where it has shown improvements in theexperiences of families.

The increased focus on palliative care at ADHBmirrors that of the Ministry of Health, whorecently announced an extra $4.7 millionnationally for palliative care.

Palliative carestrategyunderway

Members of the Palliative Care Steering Group, L R: Jan Nicholls,CEO Mercy Hospice, Jenny Chong, Acting Planning and FundingManager, Lisa Gestro, Planning and Funding Manager, Mata Forbes,Maori Health Advisor, Gill Gibbs, Clinical Nurse Specialist, OncologyCommunity, and Jan Tan, Family Support Mercy Hospice.

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Healthy Communities, Quality HealthcarePage 7

Our HealthyChildren

Max, Paloma, Lachlan and Samara at Kids Domain.

supportive, accessible health systems for families, ensuring children withillnesses and disabilities receive quality care, and enabling targeted supportto children from vulnerable families. Furthermore, it endeavours to assist thedevelopment of an environment where children have good nutrition, areactive, healthier and safer.

Developed in collaboration with other groups across child-health and relatedsectors, Our Healthy Children encompasses children from birth to 14 years,and provides a framework and direction for actions to improve health outcomesfor this key age-group.

How has the plan progressed?It is a five-year plan and many projects and strategies are already successfully underway.

The implementation plan for 2006/2007 involves numerous initiatives, many which will continue into 2008. They includean immunisation strategy, the Listening to the Children project, the Toddlers without Tears project, and a number of otherdevelopments focusing on primary care, Well Child, nutrition and physical activity interventions, and oral health.

Project manager Kathy Pritchard describes the implementation plan as a large number of very diverse projects, rangingfrom some relatively small ones involving tweaking or extending existing services or programmes, to much larger projectsdeveloping entirely new initiatives. The key to its success will be to ensure that each project is not carried out in isolation,so that they all lead to a more seamless health service for our children.

The implementation plan for 2007/2008 also presents further exciting challenges, including projects involving newbornhearing screening, school health services, family violence prevention, breastfeeding, injury prevention, reducing exposureto tobacco smoke, and the introduction of strategies designed to prevent or minimise the spread of infections.

Child HealthImprovementPlan

How can we achievebetter health for ourchildren?In April 2006, the ADHB began the journeytowards fulfilling a very important vision:improving the health of children in AucklandCity, with the Board approving a Child HealthImprovement Plan (CHIP) Our HealthyChildren.

One of the initial activities was theestablishment of an ADHB Child HealthStakeholder Advisory Group to oversee theplans implementation plan and advise ontrends and emerging issues in child health inAuckland.

Its very exciting to have so many people froma wide range of areas and sectors, and withsuch a depth of experience and expertisewilling to be part of this, says Carol Stott,Planning & Funding Manager.

Through this comprehensive plan, the ADHBmaintains a commitment to providing

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Hei Oranga Tika, mo te Iti me te Rahi Page 8 Community

Listening to ChildrenThe Listening to Children project facilitates sessionswhere children express their thoughts on health issuesand services that affect them. Their views are thenincorporated into DHB planning and funding processes.

Underpinning the project is the responsibility to ensurethe needs of children from high-need groups includingMaori, Pacific, Asian and other new migrant populationsare considered in service planning and delivery.

Six schools of varying decile ratings, locations, ethnicitiesand levels are participating in the Listening to Childrensessions, which teachers facilitate at the individualschools. The childrens feedback will be provided to theADHB Stakeholder Advisory Group.

Ten children from Kowhai Intermediate participated ina pilot session late last year, accompanied by a healthteacher and public health nurse. The session was well-received and offered many learning outcomes for the2007 launch.

As far as we know, no other DHB has done this withchildren in this age group. The children at KowhaiIntermediate demonstrated that children certainly haveviews that we should listen to, says Carol Stott.

Information packs, and health topics for discussion withthe children during 2007, have already been distributedto the schools.

Tamaki Toi Tu Kids ServiceTamaki Toi Tu Kids meaning the child who expresses strength isa well child was established last September, and will contribute tothe achievement of the CHIP objectives.

Tamaki Healthcare PHO develop-ed the initiative in partnershipw i t h A D H B , t o i m p r o v eaccessibility to health services forenrolled children. It consists ofthree components: screening bypractices to ensure that allchildren enrolled in the PHOhave access to universal childhealth services; regular reviews ofenrolled children who haveattended after-hours clinics andhospital emergency services;and a component focusing onchildren with chronic and/orcomplex health needs.

The service supports CHIPs key target group - children aged 0 14years - as well as their families/whanau and caregivers. The visionis to maximise the childrens developmental potential and establisha strong foundation for ongoing health and well-being.

Toddlers without TearsHaving already identified the need for increased availability ofuniversal parenting programmes in the plan, the ADHB wasapproached by the Ministry of Social Development to participatein the pilot of Toddlers without Tears.

Community Child Health and Disability Service (Starship ChildrensHealth), a Well Child provider funded by ADHB (Tongan HealthSociety) and the Plunket Society are also participating in the pilot.

The programme, provided by the childs Well Child provider, providesparents with information and techniques for dealing positively withthe challenges posed by normal toddler behaviour.

If the evaluation of the Toddlers without Tears pilot is positive, theprogramme will be rolled-out and made available to all New Zealandfamilies.

Respiratory illness is one of the top 10 reasons for the admission ofchildren to Starship Childrens Health, and a clear link is recognisedbetween respiratory illness and cold, damp housing.

ADHB, along with the Starship Foundation has been participating ina project led by EECA (Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority). Theproject aims to insulate the homes of low-income families in Aucklandcity whose children have received treatment from Starship forrespiratory illness.

Over 600 homes were insulated in 2006, and funding to insulate afurther 800 in 2007 is available.

It has been wonderful reading the many letters of thanks receivedfrom families who have benefited from this project and hearing aboutthe positive impact on their childrens health, says Carol Stott.

Immunisation strategyAlready, the ADHB is working towards achieving theMinistry of Health target of having 95% of children fullyimmunised by the age of two.

This includes a range of strategies: the provision ofsupport and training to ensure primary care nurses takefull advantage of the enhanced information availablethrough the National Immunisation Register; theprovision of coverage reports (PHO and practice level)to PHOs, and a review of the Immunisation OutreachServices. A co-ordinator role in Starship Childrens Healthhas been established and includes the delivery ofopportunistic immunisations.

Dante Neale, who lives in a snug home.

The child whoexpressesstrength is awell child

Tamaki Toi Tu Kids

Snug Homes in Auckland

Get the kitTo join the ADHBteam you need topop in to one of thefollowing Get the kit t-shirt fitting sessions.

ACHLevel 5 Walkway

Thursday 1 February 9.30am - 12.00pm

Thursday 8 February 2.00pm - 3.30pm

Monday 12 February 6.30am - 8.00am9.30am - 12.00pm2.00pm - 3.30pm

Thursday 15 February 10.00am - 11.30am2.00pm - 3.30pm

Monday 19 February 6.30am - 8.00am 9.30am -11.30am

Friday 23 February 6.30am - 8.00am2.00pm - 3.30pm

GCCFoyer outside Oasis Caf

Wednesday 7 February 11.00am - 1.00pm

Lift lobby Building 4



StarshipOutside Tiny Bites

Friday 2 February 9.30am -12.00pm 2.00pm - 3.30pm

Friday 9 February 9.30am - 12.00pm2.00pm - 3.30pm

Thursday 22 February 10.30am -12.00pm


Round the Bays 2007 is coming up onMarch 18, and as in previous yearsADHB is providing free tee-shirts andan after-match function for staff.

GET IN QUICK! This year ADHB haslimited entries to 500, so dont missout. Register early at one of theADHB cashiers.

Round the BaysDate: Sunday 18 March

Time: 9.30am from Quay St

Finishes: St Heliers Bay

Distance: 8.4kms

Website: www.roundthebays.co.nz

Get registeredSTEP 1Pay the registration fee to one ofthe ADHB cashiers. They areavailable from 9-3pm, located atthe following sites:

GCC: Ground floor, Building 4(opposite the clinics, next to lifts)

ACH: Level 5, Building 32 (behindinformation desk)

The fee is $15.00 for adults and$10.00 for children (child is 16 yrsor younger). Unfortunately we arenot able to offer t-shirts forchildren.

STEP 2Bring the receipt to a Get the kitt-shirt fitting sessionorSend the receipt via internal mailto:Occupational Health & Safety,Ground Floor, Building 11,Greenlane Clinical Centre.

Dont forget to give us your t-shirtsize!

For queries, contact Usha Sankaranon 26499.

Taking a step for

healthRound the Bays 2007

Staff members chill out at the ADHB site after Round the Bays 2006.

Youll feel greatRegular exercise has been shown toimprove mood so check out thesuggested training programme on theintranet and enjoy the benefits of asense of well-being.

Youll get fitter and look better

Why not use this opportunity to kickstart your new-year healthy eatinghealthy action goals? Training forRound the Bays will make you fitterand you may even drop some of thoseextra kilos that are still hanging aroundafter Christmas.

Youll have a sense ofachievement

Round the Bays started in 1972 andhas become an iconic Auckland event,now one of the worlds biggest funruns. Through training and completingthe 8.4kms, you will have set yourselfa goal and then achieved it, a sure-fire way to feel proud of yourself.

Be part of a teamGet yourself an ADHB t-shirt and runor walk Round the Bays with the team.After the event youre invited to enjoya BBQ function at Madills Farm withrefreshments and prizes. This yearwere hooking up with our friends atWaitemata and Counties so therell beplenty of friendly rivalry.

Its a good timeRound the Bays is a great day out, withsunshine, exercise and a sense ofcommunity and well-being. Why notbring the kids along?

FIVE REASONS TO PARTICIPATEIN ROUND THE BAYS

Taking a step for healthRound the Bays 2007

Auckland District Health Board

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Get fitCheck out the training schedule free with your Round the Bays registration pack.Alternatively, follow the link on the intranet homepage or visit www.roundthebays.co.nz

T-shirt collection times will be advertised in theNOVA Noticeboard and on the intranet.

Improvements to the delivery ofmental health services andworkforce development areunderway as the Our Health 2020Mental Health and AddictionsStrategy and action plan gainsmomentum.

T h e M e n t a l H e a l t h a n dAddictions Strategic Plan hasbeen widely consulted on, withthe feedback incorporated intothe document. The Plan has beenapproved by CPHAC and will bepublished shortly.

A corresponding action plan hasbeen drafted, with detail currentlybeing worked through withinput from a stakeholder networkof mental health consumers,families and whanau, Maori andNGOs and community providers.A high-level service developmentgroup sets the strategic decision-making. The service developmentgroup will also prioritise any newservice developments for the 07/08 year.

While in draft form, the action plan hasalready identified a number of projectsthat will improve mental health andaddiction services in Auckland City. Akey focus is around the primary caremental health interface, as most peoplewith experience of mental illness areonly seen in primary care.

Other service pilots in the plan includethe Acute Home-based service, whichprovides acute mental health care forpeople in their own home, and the AcuteAwake Crisis Service. This service means

Hei Oranga Tika, mo te Iti me te Rahi Page 10 Projects and Events

attract candidates to ADHB. In theprovider arm, teams are working tocreate flexible ways of employingpeople and managing relationshipsto ensure people are recruited andretained. Collectively these and otherinitiatives have doubled the numberof hires.

There is an international shortage ofhealthcare workers, but mental health isparticularly affected, says Planning andFunding Manager for Mental Health LinziJones. Service managers and the teamat the Careers Centre have been fantasticand this result speaks for itself.

Making strides in mental healthHealth2O2O

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that people experiencing episodes ofmental illness after hours can receivethe same quality of care that they wouldduring the day. A successful pilot for thisservice was undertaken in October, andpending approval from the PSA Unionand staff, it will be established as a fullnight service.

There have also been a number ofrecruitment initiatives in mental health,such as a new website dedicatedto mental health recruitment,(www.mentalhealthjobs.co.nz), andthe See Who Cares exhibition, whichhas been used to brand advertising to

excellence in client services by law firmsand in-house legal teams. The 2006awards comprised 16 separate awardsand attrac ted more than 600nominations.

Winners of the 2006 awards weredecided by more than 2000 voters fromconsumers of legal services andmembers of the profession, who tookpart in a secret audited on-line ballot.

Mr Smith said that congratulations mustgo to the legal team on this greatachievement.

Congratulations also to General CounselBruce Northey for avoiding the runnerup tag in his academic studies, qualifyingMaster of Laws with First Class Honoursin Public Law in 2006.

ADHB legal whizzes recognised atNew Zealand Law Awards

General Counsel Bruce Northey.

ADHBs legal team was named runner-up in the PPB McCallum Petterson In-House Legal Team Award, for the secondyear in a row, at the 2006 New ZealandLaw Awards.

The award recognises that sound legaladvice plays a key role in determiningwhether an organisation flourishes orfolds.

"A second runner up award is a fantasticachievement as the ADHBs team of lessthan three full-time equivalent staff(Bruce Northey, Peter Le Cren and part-timers Ann MacGill and Nicky Caunter)were competing against much largerlegal teams from both the public andprivate sectors," said ADHB CEO GarrySmith.

The overall winner in the category in2005 was Westpac and in 2006Vodafone, both of whom have in-houselegal teams of up to a dozen lawyers.

The New Zealand Law Awards wereestablished in 2005 and celebrate

The See Who Cares exhibition has been used in recruiting for mental health, contributing to a result which has seen more than doublethe number of hires.

the health of New Zealanders is atthe top of the agenda. The time isright now, says Kate.

She will be responsible forcoordinating and providings u p p o r t to a g e n c i e s a n dcommunity groups, implementingprojects around healthy eatingand activity, and working on areaswhere there may be gaps orspecific nutrition needs.

On her horizon is work around thenewly-created Nutr i t ion Fund,

administering fundsto schools to imple-m e n t i n n o v a t i v ep r o g r a m m e s, a n dgenerally helping tocreate healthy eatingenvironments.

Kate has a MastersDegree in Public Health and a wealth ofexperience working as a dietitian in thepublic health sector. Prior to taking onthe new HEHA role, Kate worked withA R P H S a n d w a s i nv o l v e d i nimplementing community nutrition

programmes - in particular on worksites,and in schools and town centres.

The work I did with ARPHS is veryrelevant, and provides great insight forwhat Im doing now. Physical activity isa new focus for me so I look forward todoing more work in that area.

Kate says she is excited about tacklingthe challenges of the job - coming upwith effective programmes, changingpeoples attitudes to health and physicalactivity, increasing levels of fitness, andworking out which types of support willbe most beneficial to the health of NewZealanders.

Helping New Zealanders to achievegood health, and focusing on howpeople can feel good about themselves,are two things that motivate KateSladden in her job.

Kate took up the role of Healthy Eating,Healthy Action (HEHA) coordinator inPlanning and Funding at the start ofJanuary, and is looking forward tofinding her feet and getting involvedwith HEHA workshops in Wellington thismonth.

HEHA is a Ministry of Health initiativea i m e d a timprovingn u t r i t i o n ,increasingp h y s i c a lactivity andr e d u c i n gobesity in New Zealanders.

This new role is exciting for me becauseIve worked in nutrition for many yearsand now it has become a high-priorityarea, especially with the prevalence ofobesity. Funding is coming through and


the Ministry of Health on policy direction. The Council is currently working to amendrelevant legislation to broaden thedefinition of medical professional toinclude nurse practitioners. Michael willalso take a leadership role in providingnursing development.

One initiative Michael hopes to establishin future is a minor injury clinic. This hasbeen successful in the UK, where clinicsrun by nurse practitioners have been

p rove n to i n -crease pat ients a t i s f a c t i o n ,reduce hospital-isation costs andimprove triagewaiting times, aswell as freeing upmedical staff tomanage the sicker

and complex cases.

Executive Director of Nursing TaimaCampbell said that recognition bythe Nursing Council was a greatachievement and the result of muchhard work. Our challenge now is tocreate roles that support NPs to puttheir years of preparation into practiceand enable them to make a differenceto patient care, she said.

Emergency Nurse Practitioner a NZ first

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HEHA is a Ministry of Healthinitiative aimed at improvingnutrition, increasing physicalactivity and reducing obesityin New Zealanders.

Page 11

New Healthy Eating, Healthy Action Coordinator Kate Sladden.

New year and newrole for Kate Sladden

Emergency Nurse Specialist MichaelGeraghty is looking forward toexpanding his role after having becomea Nurse Practitioner in December. Hejoins 30 Nurse Practitioners nationwideand a small but increasing number ofnurse practitioners in ADHB.

Michael was awarded Nurse Practitionerstatus after completing his Masters in

Nursing (Emergency) at the Universityof Auckland and being assessed ascompetent to practice in his chosenspeciality by the Nursing Council of NewZealand. He is the first emergency nursepractitioner in New Zealand.

While his role hasnt changed much atpresent, Michael sees an opportunity forhis hard-earned qualification to improveefficiency in the emergency department,allowing medical staff to concentrate onmore complexcases.

I t will meanthat I will beable to do 100%of a case, insteadof just 90%,r e f l e c t i n g amore holisticmodel of care, he says. Michael intendsto apply for prescribing rights nextmonth, and that in conjunction with theability to sign ACC forms and medicalcertificates will mean that he will be amore valuable asset to the EmergencyDepartment.

Becoming a Nurse Practitioner also meansparticipating in the Nurse PractitionerAdvisory Council, a body that advises

It will mean that I will be able todo 100% of a case, instead of just90%, reflecting a more holisticmodel of care

- Michael Geraghty

Emergency Nurse Practitioner Michael Geraghty.

of support we do, as the Mission couldnot afford to purchase the presents andfood we give out. We are so incrediblygrateful for the fantastic donations theADHB team made to the MissionsChristmas Appeal.

Chief executiveGarry Smith, whosuggested theinitiative, said theresponse washeart-warming. I t s a lovelyexample of thetype of peoplewe have workinghere caring,generous andcommitted. I t

also shows our values, which is reallyspecial particularly considering this wasan activity quite separate from our dayto day business.

Thank you to the volunteers and to the24-hour desk receptionists who assistedin making the initiative a success.

Hei Oranga Tika, mo te Iti me te Rahi Page 12 ADHB People

ADHB gives generously in ChristmasCity Mission appeal

24 hr desk receptionist Julie Kane, Communications Manager Internal and Community Jess Malcolmand the Auckland City Missions Alexis Sawyers.

I would like to say thank you for your helpwhich my family needed this Christmas.We were in a very precarious situation andjust would not have survived without helpof food and presents for my children.

My husband is disabled and has beenunemployed for several months. I had beenproviding the main income, but just priorto Christmas had to leave my employmentas I was diagnosed with Melanoma,requiring surgery. We couldnt get any helpfrom WINZ as my GP went on leave so I wasunable to get my Sickness Benefit formprocessed. So the City Mission was ouronly saving grace which I shall never forget.

I am a member of the Mission who untillast Christmas donated whatever I could inthe way of money, food and clothing. Itreally opened my eyes and I felt so humblewhen I was the one on the receiving end.

- Extract from a letter to the Auckland City Mission

Auckland families such as the onefeatured in this letter benefited from theincredible generosity of ADHB staff as aresult of the Christmas City MissionAppeal which ran for two weeks priorto Christmas.

Jess Malcolm, CommunicationsManager, Internal and CommunityRelations, who organised the initiative,said the appeal attracted more than 500donations. We were just overwhelmedwith how generous people were. Oneperson even gave me money to donateto the Mission when I was putting upthe posters.

The appeal invited staff to drop off non-perishable food items and unwrappedgifts at the 24 hour reception desk atAuckland City Hospital and at theVolunteer desk at Greenlane ClinicalCentre.

In exchange for donations, staffmembers received a display present thatcould be placed under the Christmastree. The display gifts mounted up asdonations increased, showing a visual

representation of ADHBs contributionto the Mission.

It took a few days to take off, but oncea few gifts got under the tree we startedover-flowing with donations. We hadmore than a wheelie-bin of goods everyday to give tothe Mission,said Jess.

People were sogenerous. Wehad donationsof enormousC h r i s t m a shampers, bottlesof wine, and onek i n d p e r s o neven donated acheque for $100.

Alexis Sawyers, of the Auckland CityMission, said the donations are used tohelp provide practical assistance tofamilies and individuals.

Without the support of the communitywe would be unable to provide the level

We are so incredibly gratefulfor the fantastic donations theADHB team made to theMissions Christmas Appeal.

- Alexis Sawyer,Auckland City Mission


Youve probably noticed that NOVA has a new look. The newformat is designed to make NOVA more user-friendly. As wellas a change from broadsheet to A4 and a contemporary newdesign, you can also expect to see more photographs courtesyof our Medical Photography department.

The change to NOVA came about when printing companyAPN closed down one of their printers and ended theirrelationship with NOVA in December, says Editor JessMalcolm. It was a good opportunity to look at how wecould improve the look and feel of NOVA to make itmore appealing.

Graphic Designer Diane Stephenson of MedicalPhotography came up with new look after abrainstorming session with Jess and Katie Hoy,photographer. We collected examples ofnewsletters from a variety of different organisationsand sat down to decide what we did and didntlike, says Diane. The result is a fresh look thatstill retains the essential elements of the originaldesign such as the mast head, the koru, andthe recently introduced Rangitoto image.

New year, new look

The 32nd NZSSAConference held inHamilton was theculmination of ayear long studyprogram for 23CSSD Staff whogained their NZSSACertification inSterilisation.CSSD and ORmanagementwould like tocongratulate allthose who studiedhard to achieve thisqualification.

Whilst at theconference, ADHBCSSD competed in the Poster Competitionand came away with a joint first place win,sharing the prize with Whakatane DHB. Welldone to those who had the vision and driveto put together this award winning entry.

NZSSA Conference December 2006

TE WHETU MARAMA

THE OFFICIAL STAFF NEWSLETTER FOR THE AUCKLAND DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD

February 2007

New look NOVACity MissionChristmas AppealRound the Bays

What do you think of NOVAs new look? Give us your feedback at [email protected]

Occupational Health &Safety provide smokingcessation services to thoseemployees wanting andready to quit smoking. Wecan do the following for you:

provide practicalcounselling

pharmacotherapy asappropriate

provide supplementarymaterials

follow-up

relapse prevention

Please contact : OH&SClinical Practice Nurses

Ph: 630 9943 ext: 3436

[email protected]

SmokingCessationServices

CSSD staff culminate a year of study towards a Certificate in Sterilisationat the NZSSA Conference in December.

The study programme for 2007 is alreadyunderway with staff attending the courseundergoing practical and theoretical study.We wish them all the best in their endeavoursand look forward to them attending the2007 NZSSA Conference in Hawkes Bay.

Health2O2O

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Hei Oranga Tika, mo te Iti me te Rahi Page 14 Noticeboard

Venga e senta il piacere di Cinque Terre(Come feel the pleasures of Cinque Terre)

Orbit Holidays along with Air New Zealand will supply a GRAND PRIZE at the end ofthe year of two return pacific class (economy) tickets to Fiji, Samoa, Rarotonga orTonga. To be in the draw, each month simple collect the letter (supplied at the bottomof this column) and at the end of the year correctly solve the simple anagram.

Then send your answer to the address supplied in the December edition.

ORBIT WELCOME TO THE TRAVEL REMEDY

Michelle Andrew Short-Haul Consultant

opted for a small B & B up through a fewally ways where we were greeted by anold Italian lady. Giving us kisses on eachcheck, we could see she had a wee bitof a question mark in her mind abouttwo ladies looking for a room to share.

Monterosso is divided into two partswith only a small hole in a rock as themeans between, or by boat. Both sidesare booming with restaurants and barsbut we found a small bar nestled up acobbled stone road with two handsomebarmen and made ourselves quite athome until midnight.

To our surprise, we were up on our wayat 7 oclock the following morning as wehad a two hour walk to the next townto conquer with the sun already blazing.I dont want to imagine what this walkwould be like during the peak ofsummer. Up through the hills on theancient foot paths, through the silverolive trees and local vegetable gardens,the scenery and the sight of the LigurianSea was captivating. We had entered intoa tranquil and blissful paradise.

So this is how we spent our three daysin heaven, beautiful villages, food andwine, friendly Italians and the stunningcoloured buildings that have a historythat I recommend you only learn aboutby visiting the Cinque Terre. Come visitthe girls and guys at Orbit Holidays andmake the Italian dream come true foryou Ive been back three times, nowits your turn!

Monthly Competitioncentral retail and leisure developmentand the Rotorua Convention Centre. Dineat the Atrium Caf "where you literallydine under the stars" set in a spectacularfour storey central court area or take inthe Maori and Polynesian cultural showand Hangi Feast.

Question:

Conditions of entry: tickets are not exchangeable for cash; tickets will not attract airpoints; tickets are not upgradeable; winnermust be an employee of ADHB (show employee number) at the time of the prize draw. Valid until 30 June 2008. Travel is notpermitted 20 Dec 2007 15 January 2008.

February Grand Prize Letter: T

Michelle takes you to a romantic cornerof the planetCinque Terre

Through my five years of living in theUK I fell in love with what I believe is oneof the most beautiful places in Europe.It shines with a glistening beauty andsuch tranquillity that it has you hookedand leaves you with nothing but afeeling of love for its serenity.

Its a place in Europe that unless youhave experienced its beauty you wouldnot know where it is or anything aboutit. Nestled on the hill side droppingelegantly into the ocean you find theLigurian coast line and five villages calledCinque Terre on the west coast of Italy.The villages are Monterosso, Vernassa,Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.

I stumbled across this area on my firstvisit to Italy on a girls campingexpedition. We started our journey aftera quick flight from London to Bologna.

In the pouring rain the next morning wefought our way out of Bologna in a rentalcar, within hours we were ready for ourfirst carafe of Italian red Chianti. Howeverwe still had some miles to travel beforewe deserved such a treat.

Our first flying stop was Pisa, I say flyingbecause we managed to get a parkwithin such proximity to the leaningtower that our short walk through thevillage and old town had us back in thecar and on road within around 2 hours.We had a place to get to that we hadheard so much about.

Some time into our journey we hit thehills in torrential rain. We were forced tostop and I honestly thought we wouldnever get to our destination andexperience the tranquillity we had heardso much about from friends. As wearrived to the first town and experiencedour first view of the rows of weatheredpastel coloured buildings (older than myGreat, Great Grandmother) that clung tothe cliff tops and sloped dramaticallyinto the small harbour (if you could callit a harbour) of Riomagiore we realisedthat it was near impossible to park evenclose to this town. Consulting LonelyPlanet, we discovered that one of theonly towns with parking was the toptown of Monterosso. Our despair wasobvious. By now the sun had made itsway out through the clouds and wecould see the Ligurian Sea, and yes thatChianti was calling our names. So nosooner had we experienced our first tasteof the Cinque Terre, we were driving awayagain. Soon enough however we hadmade our way through the windy roadsand down into Monterosso where wefound the car park... YAY. Out we get andhit the beach to relax in the sun beforeit went down.

That night we wandered through thebeautiful and the biggest of all fivetowns; Monterosso, and asked around atthe local restaurants and shops for aplace to stay. With September beingtowards the end of peak season thepossibilities of places to stay wereabundant, however on our budget we

Grand Prize

What are the five priority areas inthe Our Health2020 Strategy?

Communications Department, Level 1,Building 10, Greenlane Clinical Centre.

Entries must be received by20 February 2007.

This month, be in to win an overnightstay at Rydges Hotel Rotorua.At Rydges Hotel Rotorua you'll enjoythe comfort and charm of Rotorua'smost spacious accommodation,located on the edge of Rotorua's ArawaRacecourse in a park-like setting.Rydges Hotel Rotorua also boastspanoramic views across the city to LakeRotorua and Mokoia Island. The hotel iswithin walking distance of the Rotorua

To enter, simply answer this monthsquestion and send your entry [email protected] or mail to the

If your department has something to share please contact the editor either by phone, extension 4950or by email [email protected]. Copy needs to be received a month prior to publication. Pleasesend text in MSWord and photos as a high-quality jpeg.

Editor: Jessamy Malcolm, Communications Manager, Internal and Community RelationsDesign: Diane Stephenson, ADHB Photography & Graphic Design DepartmentNOVA is the official newsletter of the Auckland District Health Board. It is published by theCommunications Department, located in Building 10, Level 1, Greenlane Clinical Centre.

Contacting

A little panacheStaff show off their creative talent in the annual Christmas decorating competition.

Oral health was the big winner at Greenlane, followed by the Eye Clinic and Radiology. Best tree was awarded to Sexual Health, whoplaced little wrapped gifts of condoms and lube at the bottom of the tree for clients to take away. Perched at the top of the treewas a very handsome fairy wearing very little.

Competition was fierce at Starship, but judges Kay Hyman, Yvonne Kaeppeli, Bernie Twomey, and Marino Sherwin ruled Ward 27Bthe overall winner, with Ward 23B second followed by Day Stay. Wards at Starship were judged on relevance to Christmas, use ofrecycled materials, inclusion of patients and families, cultural diversity, and education. Womens Assessment Unit won first place inthe womens health section of the competition.

Nine sacks of pipi in adult services winner Ward 81.

Five big fat pigs in adult services winner Ward 81.

Adult services second-equal place getter Ward 42.

Starship winner Ward 27B.

A Christmas tree decoratedwith condoms, Frosty the Mo-man, nine sacks of pipi, andmedical equipment coveredwith tinsel and glitter justanother day at AucklandDistrict Health Board.

With one exception - a gooddose of Christmas spirit,as many wards and depart-ments showcased theircreative flair in the annualC h r i s t m a s d e c o r a t i n gcompetition.

The stand out winner in adultservices was Ward 81, whose12 Days of Kiwi Christmasprovided a journey of ketes,kaimoana, huhu grubs, andeels amongst other things.The theme was based on thesong A Pukeko in a PongaTree, written by Kingi Ihaka in1981.

Second equal was RadiationO n c o l o g y, w h e r e o n ewandered from a Christmasin Beijing to a Coromandelbeach scene to the NorthPole, where Frosty the Mo-man chilled out surroundedby mo-flakes (photos of thecontestants in Movember cutinto shapes.) Sharing secondplace was ward 42, whoinnovatively used vials, pillboxes, and oxygen maskst o c r e a t e a C h r i s t m a swonderland.

A U C K L A N DDISTRICT HEALTH BOARD

T e T o k a T u m a i

Documents

Nova February 2007