Health New Zealand | Waikato

Haere ra Sue Hayward – you have been awesome Sue Hayward retires this month after 16 years as Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer at Waikato. Her journey began in Dunedin, where she started her nurse training, later completing it at Wellington Hospital. Reflecting on her career she shares, “I will miss the people and being associated with a profession like nursing which has been me since I was seventeen.” She moved to Waikato in 2008 and took up the newly established role of Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer, where she championed service improvements and created pathways for nursing professionals in clinical, educational, and leadership roles. Sue emphasises the importance of teamwork in navigating challenges, from health crises to operational disruptions. Her advice to aspiring nurses is inspiring: "Embrace opportunities, nurture your confidence, and learn from your role models - practice professionalism with your colleagues, and support those who seek to learn from you.” Sue will be remembered for her kindness and consideration when working with all staff and her ability to get things done without much fuss. Sue says, “I’m going to have fun and spend lots of time with family.” While we are sad to be saying goodbye to Sue, we wish her and her whānau all the best and a happy, well-earned retirement. ❤️

Waikato Hospital Laboratory gets an upgrade – a dream come true! 🔬🦠🧫 We are thrilled to announce a major upgrade to the Waikato Hospital Laboratory, with increased space, co-located services, and a brand-new Molecular Biology Laboratory. This modern, fit-for-purpose environment with the latest technology is something the lab team has been waiting on for a while. Lab manager Kay Stockman, who has been with us since 1979, says "This has been 50 years in the making. With the Molecular Biology Laboratory now co-located with the main lab, we can work more easily as a team and allow for future expansion and preparedness for any future infectious disease outbreaks." The Molecular Biology Laboratory, which began in a tiny area in the ‘90s, started off processing 12,000 tests per year and now processes over 300,000 tests per year – a number that quadrupled during COVID-19. "The team did an awesome job and didn’t complain. I see this new facility as their reward for all the work they went through during those challenging times." The new facility is beautifully designed. The upgrade includes a revamp of the reception and administration areas, and the addition of a new Point of Care Testing Laboratory. These enhancements create a seamless flow into the new, purpose-built Molecular Biology Laboratory. Decorative features incorporating Māori design elements relating to nurturing and protecting whakapapa (genealogy), alongside images that are representative of the various laboratory specialties, are installed throughout on both walls and windows. Molecular biology, a rapidly expanding technology for medical laboratory diagnostics, involves processes like PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) which isolate, extract and amplify DNA or RNA to identify disease states. This technology is now commonly used for diagnosing a wide range of medical conditions, including blood disorders, immune system markers, and infectious diseases. This technology has been pivotal in managing infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, pertussis, measles, and VRE. Kia kaha e hoamahi mā! 🧑🏻🔬👨🏽🔬

Kia ora LinkedIn whānau – we have some exciting career opportunities at Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora! 🎉 We’re on the lookout for passionate people to join our new ⭐ Resident Doctors Support Service team.⭐ Resident Doctors (also known as Resident Medical Officers) are the future of Aotearoa's medical profession, so they're really important! Which means this team we're recruiting for, which will be looking after them, is pivotal to our mission of delivering exceptional healthcare services. Positions closing soon – Apply by Sunday, 16 June: Wellbeing Lead: You will champion a better workplace environment for our Resident Medical Doctors as well as their wellbeing. Apply: http://spr.ly/6041e7K0t External Stakeholder Lead: This role ultimately supports seamless service to the public through making sure Health NZ Resident Medical Officers can efficiently get things done with external stakeholders, such as training. The role is all about relationships and will require someone who can quickly build and maintain excellent ones with external stakeholders such as the Medical Council of NZ, Colleges including RNZCGP, the Ministry of Health, medical schools, and others. Apply: http://spr.ly/6044e7K0a Internal Stakeholder Lead: This role collaborates with Health NZ business units and teams to ensure efficient and effective support for Resident Medical Officers. Apply: http://spr.ly/6045e7K0x Operations Lead: This role will manage and oversee local Resident Medical Officer units to make sure the experience and wellbeing of Resident Medical Officers is constantly being improved. Apply: http://spr.ly/6046e7K0I Submit your application today! #HealthNZCareers #JoinUs Image description: Blue tile with white text which reads: "Job opportunity,. Apply today."

Today some junior doctors employed by Health New Zealand are participating in a strike. All Emergency Departments will remain open, and hospital inpatients will continue to receive safe care. We appreciate your support in only visiting the ED if you need urgent care. Otherwise, please visit your GP, pharmacist, or an after-hours service, or call Healthline for free advice on 0800 611 116. Unless we have contacted you, please attend outpatient appointments or surgeries you have scheduled for today or tomorrow. Image description: Beige decorative tile with green text on it, which reads: "A junior doctors' strike is planned from 7.00am Thursday 30 May to 8.00am Saturday 1 June."

Starting from 7:00 am tomorrow, some junior doctors employed by Health New Zealand will be participating in a strike for 49 hours (approximately 2 days). Our emergency departments (EDs) will remain open, and our hospital inpatients will continue to receive safe care. Please only visit the ED if you need urgent medical attention. We appreciate your support. For non-urgent health concerns, we encourage you to consider other options. You can visit or call your usual GP/doctor, a pharmacist, or after-hours clinic. You can also call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free advice. https://lnkd.in/g7VrbYe8 Unless we have contacted you, please continue attending outpatient appointments or surgeries scheduled for tomorrow or the next day.

Some of our junior doctors have confirmed they will strike for a second time, from 7:00am tomorrow (Thursday 16 May) until 8:00 am Saturday 18 May. All emergency departments will remain open and hospital patients will receive safe care. Please attend any scheduled outpatient appointment or treatment, unless you have been contacted directly. People with non-urgent ailments or injuries should contact their GP in the first instance. Anyone unsure about whether they need emergency department care should contact their GP or call Healthline (0800 611 116) for free advice.

Some of our junior doctors intend to strike for a second time, from 7:00am Thursday 16 May until 8:00am Saturday 18 May. If the strike goes ahead, all emergency departments will remain open and hospital patients will receive safe care. Please attend any scheduled outpatient appointment or treatment, unless you are contacted directly. If you have non-urgent ailments or injuries, contact your GP in the first instance. If you are unsure if you need emergency department care, contact your GP or call Healthline (0800 611 116) for free advice.

💙 Happy International Nurses Day 💙 On 12 May we celebrate International Nurses Day. It’s a great opportunity to say thank you and celebrate the mahi of our amazing nurses. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou, many thanks to you all. While today has been set aside to formally recognise the work and contribution nurses make to healthcare delivery, my appreciation for this happens on a daily basis. Throughout the district and throughout the year you, as nurses, provide excellent and knowledgeable care no matter the environment or specialty. Enjoy the celebrations and take the time to say thank you to your colleagues. As I say thank you for being here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sue Hayward Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Health NZ Waikato

Some of our Resident Medical Officers (doctors) have confirmed they will take strike action tomorrow, from 7:00am Tuesday 7 May to 8:00am Wednesday 8 May. All emergency departments will remain open and hospital patients will receive safe care. Unless you have been contacted directly, please attend any scheduled outpatient appointment or treatment. People with non-urgent ailments or injuries should contact their GP in the first instance. Anyone unsure about whether they need emergency department care should contact their GP or call Healthline (0800 611 116) for free advice. Image description. Text reads: "A doctor's strike is planned for Tuesday 7 May. Patient care is our priority."

Some of our Resident Medical Officers (doctors) have notified us of strike action from 7:00am Tuesday 7 May to 8:00am Wednesday 8 May. If the strike proceeds, all emergency departments will remain open and hospital patients will receive safe care. Unless you are contacted directly, please attend any scheduled outpatient appointment or treatment. People with non-urgent ailments or injuries should contact their GP in the first instance. Anyone unsure about whether they need emergency department care should contact their GP or call Healthline (0800 611 116) for free advice.