Heartland Services are here for rural whānau

Te Piki Oranga and Waikawa Marae are delighted to offer a new service to whānau living in rural and remote parts of Marlborough – Waikawa, Waitohi / Picton and Tōtaranui / Marlborough Sounds.

Te Piki Oranga is a leading provider of health and wellbeing services for Māori whānau in the Top of the South. With Waikawa Marae, the two organisations are now providing Heartland Services – for people in rural and remote regions of Marlborough.

Ricky Carr is Pūkenga Kaiwhakahaere (Site Manager) for the Te Piki Oranga services in Wairau. He says that Heartland Services will provide a much-needed presence and support for rural whānau.

“We can offer a physical location – a place to get things done in-person – as well as support on the phone or by video-conference,” Mr Carr says.

“Living, working and raising a family in rural and remote Marlborough can be challenging enough as it is. With Heartland Services we can provide access, information, support and specialist health and wellbeing services that will make life a little easier.

“Although it is early days we already have many Government and community agencies ready to run regular drop-in sessions and workshops in-person from our High Street hub in Waitohi, Picton,” Mr Carr says.

Allanah Burgess is Kaiwhakahaere (Manager) of Waikawa Marae. Ms Burgess says the decision to locate Heartland Services in Waitohi Picton township was made after first considering Waikawa Marae. By being in town, Waikawa Marae kaimahi are able to extend manaakitanga into a central location, she says.

“A lot happens on a marae, more than may be appreciated, such as our provision of health and social services like Whānau Ora that enable whānau and wider community members to thrive.

“When discussing how to make these essential new services available to whānau and others who need awhi, we decided in favour of the High Street hub from iwi-owned premises. This way we can uphold the tikanga of whakaruruhau to provide a safe, comfortable place as we do on the marae, and that happens to be in a convenient, central location for people.”

What is Heartland Services?

Heartland Services is a Ministry of Social Development initiative, with locations from Northland to Southland. Waikawa Marae and Te Piki Oranga were successful in their co-bid provide the newest Heartland Services hub, from Waitohi / Picton. The main services are:

• assistance with technology: email, printing, photocopying, scanning, phones and internet

• support with accessing government and community service forms, applications and websites

• a place to meet with government and community service staff, kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) or via videoconferencing

Drop-in sessions and health clinics

Government and community service staff are available on specific days, including:

• Inland Revenue (IRD)

• Workbridge and Connect agencies, for jobseekers and employers

• Diabetes support group

• Cancer information group

• Community Law (kaupapa Māori)

• Justice of the Peace

• Māori Land Court

• Whānau Ora navigators (from Waikawa Marae)

• Employment support (for both employers and employees)

Appointments are needed for some sessions – see the main webpage for detail

Manu Ora wins Supreme Business Award

Manu Ora have been awarded the Supreme Business Award in the 2023 Marlborough Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards.

The Wairau-based primary care team, established in 2021 in partnership with Te Piki Oranga, also won the ‘New and Emerging Business’ and ‘Community Impact’ award categories. Manu Ora Director and GP, Dr Sara Simmons, says the team feels humbled.

“This recognition shines a light on health equity, and particularly Māori health equity. We are incredibly honoured to be acknowledged for our mahi and would like to thank all those who have supported our innovation and commitment to do things differently, since Manu Ora was founded in 2021.

“We see this acknowledgement as another indicator of the difference that can be made to the hauora (wellbeing) of our whānau. It has been a busy two years for us, and there is still so much to do.

Manu Ora Director and GP, Dr Rachel Inder, says it was a leap of faith to establish a different kind of practice that focuses on achieving health equity in meaningful ways.

“We are grateful to Te Piki Oranga for their partnership, and for the founding contributions from Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough, Marlborough Primary Health Organisation, Rātā Foundation, Rangitāne o Wairau, Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, and The Care Foundation who supported our vision. We are so pleased to have this recognition for their commitment to our kaupapa right from the outset.

“Thanks to our amazing kaimahi and community, Manu Ora is really flourishing,” Dr Inder says.

In a letter of congratulations to Ricky Carr Pūkenga Kaiwhakahaere - Site Manager for Te Piki Oranga in Wairau, Drs Simmons and Inder say:

Ka mihi mātou ki tō tautoko i a mātou mahi. As our partnership with Te Piki Oranga is integral in this success, we acknowledge you and your rōpū as we celebrate these awards. Ngā mihi maioha for believing in us, and for supporting our vision, our mahi, our whānau.

It was a leap of faith to establish a different kind of practice that focuses on achieving health equity in meaningful ways. One that offers no or low-cost health care to our whānau with complex needs in a flexible, culturally safe and whānau centred way.

After a busy two years, we know there is still much to do. Our caring and experienced rōpū are committed to continuing to offer a service that meets the needs of our whānau, ensuring we reduce inequities in access to healthcare and improve health outcomes for Māori in Wairau.

Ka tino mihia tōu ki tō mātau kaupapa. Your commitment to our kaupapa is truly appreciated.

About Manu Ora

Established in 2021 by Wairau locals Dr Rachel Inder and Dr Sara Simmons (Ngāi Tahu), in partnership with Te Piki Oranga, Manu Ora is a medical centre with a difference.

Manu Ora is a kaupapa Māori charity set up to offer low or no-cost healthcare in a more flexible, culturally safe, and whānau-centred way.

In December 2022 an independent evaluation assessed the ways in which this unique kaupapa Māori primary healthcare service in Wairau is achieving its goals. Read about this in our pitopito kōrero here.

www.manuora.org.nz

Most of the Manu Ora team at the awards.

Manu Ora – going beyond traditional healthcare

Manu Ora is a Wairau primary healthcare team, established in August 2021 as a registered charity and joint venture between Te Piki Oranga and Nuku Health.

Manu Ora refers to the bird taking flight having achieved hauora (wellbeing) and in December 2022 an independent evaluation assessed the ways in which this unique kaupapa Māori primary healthcare service in Wairau is achieving its goals.

One of the clear themes from the evaluation report is that Manu Ora goes beyond traditional healthcare. Examples include:

• Giving more time to whānau. A much-higher ratio of clinicians to patients, compared to other practices, means more time with whānau and longer, more flexible appointments.

• Helping whānau into housing, providing kai (pātaka) and improving access to care with free transport, appointments and home visits

• Offering an extended programme for taha hinengaro (mental health) and wraparound services for vulnerable hapū māmā and pēpi in their first 1,000 days.

• Allocating daily time to collaborate with community agencies, schools and other healthcare providers. Manu Ora is a qualified teaching practice for medical and nursing ākonga.

• Easing the pressure. Effective, early intervention before whānau become seriously unwell has led to less presentations to ED and urgent care.

• Te Ao Māori values and tikanga underpin all models of care. Kaimahi embed Te Whare Tapa Whā principles from the start of their kōrero with whānau.

Feedback

The evaluation report gives voice to compelling feedback from whānau, kaimahi and governance stakeholders. Here are some examples:

“My first consult shocked me...time was taken to look into my whole hauora, my whare tapa whā, my haerenga. They were all considered and acknowledged with respect and kindness. I felt like I could be who I am as a Māori. I felt heard.” (whānau comment)

“She explains everything, not in doctors' terms, but it in a way we can understand.” (whānau comment)

“They take the time, and they listen and observe; they already know you because they have read the notes and heard your story, not just what you're in for.” (whānau comment)

“Eye opening. In practice previously we might have seen someone once, but they don't come back and deal with some of the underlying chronic issues. But to have people come back and trust us with their health journey has been pretty cool.” (Manu Ora kaimahi comment)

“We can definitely see it having an effect. The emergency department-type maladies are being addressed earlier...we would have lost four or five people given their chronic conditions and would have had more people in hospital…with a lot of people I think that actually seeing a doctor gives people a sense of something. Makes people feel that they’re on their way to getting better.” (Te Piki Oranga kaimahi comment)

“I do not know how it would have gone without the [Te Piki Oranga] partnership. They help with the financial management and are aware of our finances. We got [name removed] to help with the strategy day and she is now the co-chair of the IMPB. Pleased the collaboration is so strong.” (Manu Ora governance comment)

Read the evaluation report highlights document here

Mana Wāhine clinic success

Mana Wāhine clinic success

More than 350 wāhine Māori in Te Tauihu are either due or overdue for their cervical smear check, something that Te Piki Oranga has set out to address.

With the support of Nelson Bays Primary Health, Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough Public Health, Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu, the Cancer Society, Sealord, and Te Whatu Ora, Te Piki Oranga held a one-day screening clinic in Whakatū called ‘Mana Wahine’ in late September.

The ‘by wahine for wahine’ clinic provided a safe and comfortable space for wāhine to get their cervical screening and to get support for other health concerns. 40 wāhine were screened, 11 were booked for another time and more than 80 per cent of all participants were wāhine Māori.

Conversations about other health concerns led to multiple referrals for services such as breast screening, endoscopy, Healthy Homes, B4 School Checks (for tamariki), navigation support for Oranga Tamariki and Te Hā quit smoking services. Dr Ricki-lea Aitchison, a Māori GP from Mapua Health attended the event to answer wāhiin pātai and concerns pertaining to the smear or other issues.

Transportation was provided, as some wāhine travelled from Te Hora Pa, Motueka, and Brightwater, and each wahine was gifted vouchers and a generous kai pack upon leaving.

The uptake and feedback from those that attended the day was very positive and planning is underway for the next Mana Wāhine event in November.

Special thanks to our health partners and sponsors for helping to make this event a success. 

A safe place to talk about tough topics

If you or someone in your whānau have experienced any abuse while in the care of state or faith-based institutions, Te Piki Oranga can offer a safe place to talk about your experiences.

 We understand that sharing about traumatic experiences can be difficult. Our qualified, specially-trained community champions can listen and kōrero with you in a non-judgemental, safe way.

 In one of our pānui last year we introduced you to community champion Rameka Te Rahui. Rameka says that talking with someone you trust can be the start for people seeking help and treatment for trauma.

 “We understand that anyone telling their story is going to go through a lot of emotions in the process. Talking can bring up a lot of grief, anger, and fear. Sometimes the hardest thing is making the first move and picking up the phone,” Rameka says.

 “We’re here to help anyone through that process – deciding whether and how to take part, navigating the process and getting the follow-up care you need.

 “There is free counselling available and for many people, this has made it possible for them to get treatment for any ongoing trauma they are experiencing as a result of their experiences.”

 Contact Te Piki Oranga in confidence on 0800 ORANGA (672642) or email us at admin@tpo.org.nz and ask to speak to one of our community champions.

Go on, tell us what you think!

As part of how we continually review our services to find out what we are doing right, what we could do better and what we need to fix, we invite you to tell us what you think in a survey. All survey participants will go into the draw to win a $100 kai or petrol voucher.

 We’ll be asking things like:

·       What are the challenges you find in accessing and using our services?

·       What can we do to improve?

·       What are we doing well that works for you and your whānau?

·       What services do you need that we don’t already provide?

·       How would you prefer to receive information from us?

We’ll send the survey by email to whānau on our mailing list. If your email address has changed please let us know and we can update it for you, so you don’t miss out. You can email us at admin@tpo.org.nz, phone 0800 ORANGA or join our mailing list by going to the ‘ohauru/subscribe’ link at the bottom of our website, www.tpo.org.nz

 Please let your friends and whānau know to do the same, so that they can have their say.

Te Piki Oranga in the News

A selection of media stories featuring our kaimahi and service users.

On 24 January, TVNZ’s Te Karere team featured Te Piki Oranga in their TV news item about South Island iwi ramping up defences against Omicron. You can watch this online here.

On 30 January, the Marlborough Express published a story about our Wairau vaccination clinics for tamariki. You can read this here

On 11 March, the Nelson Mail/Stuff published a story about our nurse practitioners Meg Robertson and Carol Whitfield. If you’re wondering what nurse practitioners can do for you and why you should choose kaupapa Māori care, read the article here.

Looking for our 'next top models'

We are looking for a multigenerational whānau (eg, kuia and koro with their children and mokopuna) to take part in a photoshoot to help inspire others to use our services.  Is this you?

We want to keep it real, so might ask to photograph you at home, in your garden or local playground. We also want to represent our region, Te Tauihu, so are looking for whānau in Whakatū, Waimeha, Motueka or Wairau!

The photos will be used on our website, brochures, social media and pānui. In exchange for your time and beautiful smiles, we will give you copies of the professional pikitia.

This is a great opportunity to inspire others who have not yet joined the Te Piki Oranga whānau, and to get some lovely photos of you and your loved ones to treasure. If you are interested, please call Grayson on 0800 ORANGA (672 642) or email her at admin@tpo.org.nz

Below are some examples from a photoshoot a few years ago.

Don’t let the flu get you this winter

Covid-19 has shown us how simple but effective steps help us stay well – hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, staying home when we are unwell, and vaccination. It has shown how our whānau can really step up when it comes to their health and that of their whānau and community.

While our Covid-19 vaccination programme continues, we are now also looking ahead to winter and the flu season.

Many of our whānau get their flu vaccine each year and this year it is even more important as we prepare for the return of seasonal flu now that international borders are open again. While the flu virus can circulate year-round, we mostly have seasonal outbreaks in Aotearoa. Each year a different variant of the virus makes its way here from the Northern Hemisphere where it has already had the northern winter to thrive and spread.

The flu can be dangerous for kaumātua, hapū māmā, tamariki who have been unwell before with respiratory illness, and any whānau with diabetes, heart and lung conditions and other illnesses. Vaccination is free if you are in these groups, but the criteria is broader than this, so if you are worried about how the flu would affect your health this winter please get in touch.

Flu vaccines are usually available from April, and we’ll provide more information on our website, Facebook and Instagram closer to the time.

Let’s get ready for winter by protecting ourselves against debilitating flu as well as COVID-19 – and yes you can get both vaccinations at the same time

Māmā and pēpi feel at home with kaupapa Māori care

Sarai and Māreikura

Sarai Tuhua lives in Whakatū, Nelson – a long way from her family in Rotorua. When her fourth child Māreikura was born she sought out kaupapa Māori support through the Tamariki Ora service.

This was the start of her relationship with specialist nurse and lactation consultant Debbie Kotua, who became Sarai’s clinician when Māreikura was a few weeks old.

 “I wanted to have a kaupapa Māori health service looking after me and my newborn this time round,” says Sarai.

 “I don’t have much whānau here in Nelson, and I felt this was really important for me. The service Debbie provided turned out to be the best I’ve experienced. It just made me feel so comfortable even though I’m a long way from my own whānau.”

 Sarai loved the way Debbie came to her house for appointments.

 “I didn’t have to pick up my newborn and take her out to a clinic – Debbie visited me in my home which really helped.”

 Sarai had a lower milk supply than she’d experienced with her previous children. She worried that Māreikura was not gaining weight and needed reassurance that everything was OK.

 “It just was not as easy as with the other three, and I did get a bit panicky.”

 Debbie helped with close supervision and monitoring of both māmā and pēpi, and had plenty of tips and advice on breastfeeding and nutrition.

 “Debbie visited whenever I needed her, and she really went the extra mile. She was accessible by phone, even if she couldn’t get to see me.

 “She watched me feed, gave me information on different recipes to help boost my supply, and built my confidence up that everything was OK. She was very non-judgemental – I felt very comfortable when she visited me in my house.”

 Sarai said one of the biggest advantages of using a kaupapa Māori service was Debbie’s awareness of Sarai’s needs and how best to help her manage any problems.

 “Debbie was just like an auntie – in fact I think Māreikura thinks she is an auntie! She made me feel like my child was special, even though I know she has many others to look after!”

 Māreikura is now two and a half years old. Debbie is still available for the toddler’s Well Child checks and she and Sarai keep in touch by phone and text in between visits.

 “Debbie is fabulous,” says Sarai. “She’s just very good at her job!”

Whānau at the heart of Tamariki Ora

Our Ngā Pūkenga Hauora Tamariki Ora/Well Child Tamariki Ora Service is here to help māmā and pēpi thrive during those special, and crucial, years from birth to age five.

Part of the national Well Child (Plunket) programme, Tamariki Ora is just what whānau in our region need. Our specially-trained nurses offer Well Child checks, specialist lactation advice and support with breastfeeding, childhood immunisation, safe sleep and creating a smokefree environment for pēpi.

We care for māmā of all ages, talking through things like kai and nutrition, sleep, exercise, and wellbeing. And if you need it, our pukenga manaaki/counsellor is available. We can also connect other whānau members to other health and wellbeing services they may need.

Whakatū Tamariki Ora nurse and lactation consultant Debbie Kotua helps māmā with breastfeeding, advises about nutrition for milk supply and checks that pēpi is getting enough food and growing well.  

She does Well Child checks as pēpi grows but says that the health of the whole whānau is important as well.

“There are several ways we tailor things to whānau,” says Debbie.

“First there’s the cultural connection that comes through from Te Piki Oranga’s kaupapa Māori approach and vision of whānau ora and tino rangatiratanga. 

“We use te reo as much as we can, and it’s really important to me to take the time to build a rapport with māmā, tāne and whānau as they all play a role in raising their tamariki. Māmā and pēpi are at the centre but we take the Te Ao Māori view of hauora and wellbeing.”

Debbie says that the four dimensions of hauora are integral to healthy tamariki and their whānau. These are: taha wairua (spiritual health), taha hinengaro (mental health), taha tinana (physical health) and taha whānau (family health).

“We put a high value on the connections between the four dimensions within the whānau as a whole and as individuals. Because Tamariki Ora nurses have access to Te Piki Oranga’s other services, we can make referrals for other issues that come to light – it’s a wraparound service that benefits the whole whānau and leads to better outcomes for everyone.”

 Debbie has been with Te Piki Oranga for nine years, five of which as a Tamariki Ora nurse and lactation consultant. Debbie is tangata whenua from Whakatū, of Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Toa, Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Raukawa descent. She lives with her partner and four tamariki aged between 10 and 17 years-old.

Manu Ora thrilled with the response to its opening

Manu Ora thrilled with the response to its opening

"I come away from work feeling my soul is full; it’s pretty special," says Dr Sara Simmons, one of the three mātanga rata (general practitioners) working at Manu Ora, a new ‘by Māori, for Māori’ Hauora centre in Howick Road, Blenheim.

Te Piki Oranga established Manu Ora in collaboration with Simmons and fellow GP Rachel Inder, with support from the Marlborough Primary Health Organisation and Rangitāne o Wairau, and has since received funding support from other agencies including Nelson Marlborough Health.

The new practice opened on 9 August but lockdown soon followed, so it only got to celebrate its official launch with a pōwhiri on 5 October.

Manu Ora has been established to support Māori whānau with high needs, as well as other vulnerable communities.

"With more than 500 enrolments already, we’re tracking ahead of our targets," says Sara. "Of these, many either didn't have a GP or don’t have a strong relationship with a GP, and many have complex care needs. We’re thrilled to have them with us."

Manu Ora is still taking new enrolments. Sara says the practice can take up to 1,000 enrolments and can continue to support a much higher proportion of those with high needs.

"We haven’t yet actively promoted Manu Ora to these whānau," Sara adds, "It’s all been word-of-mouth. We’ve also built enrolments because Te Piki Oranga’s kaimahi have been referring people."

When a patient first signs up, they are offered an extended enrolment appointment with a nurse and a GP from the team. Following this, a coordinated management plan is developed and documented to ensure each patient’s health needs are met.

"The longer appointment times make a real difference," says Sara. "It gives us time to learn about each person’s background and home life. We can really get to know people and build a relationship and trust, which enables us to understand what other things in their life might influence their acute healthcare needs.

"We’re family-first, whānau-centred."

She also predicts Manu Ora’s other key to success will be its much higher staffing ratio (to patients). Manu Ora currently employs three GPs, three nurses and three receptionists. All nine Manu Ora kaimahi are deliberately employed on a part-time basis.

"In general, the pressures on kaimahi are so great in general practice," says Sara. "So our decision to work part-time is quite purposeful. We’re also a small enough team to be able to adapt and improve quickly."

Nationally, there is one full-time equivalent GP for every 1,700 patients. At Manu Ora, there is one full-time equivalent GP for every 1,000.

Manu Ora is also a not-for-profit organisation, which makes it quite different from other medical practices.

"We’re not a business, but a charity, focusing on providing quality care for low or no cost if people are unable to pay and enabling us to continue to attract more funding," says Sara.

Visit the Manu Ora website if you would like to enrol as a patient.

You can build better health through Te Ao Māori

You can build better health through Te Ao Māori

Te Piki Oranga is rolling out a pilot programme, Te Ata Pūao, to help whānau take more control over their health and wellbeing through a better understanding of their cultural identity.

Te Ata Pūao has been developed in recognition of the low to medium anxiety levels people are experiencing following the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it has had on jobs, security, families and mental health, especially for those in rural communities.

It will support positive changes to improve Māori health and wellbeing through a better understanding of Te Ao Māori.

Participants will develop an awareness of their whakapapa and feel more at home within Te Ao Māori. As they work through the course, participants will be supported to answer questions about their culture and whānau, and develop an understanding of how this can affect personal health and wellbeing.

Te Ata Pūao has been developed to help Māori to explore how their thoughts and feelings affect their actions in a fun, supportive learning environment. It will help participants to take more control of their own health and wellbeing as they develop a health and wellbeing plan, which they can continue to develop once they have finished the course.

The programme will run once a week for 2.5 hours a week over six weeks.

The course will be delivered in three parts, exploring culture and identity,  developing a holistic approach to your health and wellbeing, and working with professional support services to make long-term improvements to health and wellbeing.

Te Ata Pūao will be delivered for tāne, wāhine and whānau, at locations in Whakatū and Wairau. For more information visit www.tpo.org.nz or phone 0800 ORANGA (0800 672 642)

Te Piki Oranga is an essential service in Level 4

Te Piki Oranga is here for your health during Level 4

New Zealand will be in Level 4 lockdown from midnight tonight for three days. In Level 4, Te Piki Oranga is still an essential service, so we will continue to operate our services this week, although differently than usual.

At Te Piki Oranga most of our kaimahi/staff will work remotely at home. Kaimahi will be taking whānau phone calls and will help ensure you can manage your health needs.  Home visits will take place where necessary and safe for everyone. We will continue to help you access your GP or other health services if you need to this week.

Our kaimahi will also be ringing as many whānau as they can to ensure that they are safe and well and have what they need to self-isolate.

If you have health concerns for a member of your whānau or someone else at this time, please let us know by ringing 0800 ORANGA (672 642). We will also have a few kaimahi working at our hubs in Whakatū, Wairau and Motueka over the next three days. Any Te Piki Oranga kaimahi travelling outside of home or our office will wear our Te Piki Oranga ID to identify themselves as essential workers.

You may wish to visit the COVID-19 website if you would like more information about what you need to do in Level 4.

Arohanui to all our whānau as we go into Level 4 together – we are still here and doing everything we can to support you.

Meanwhile, we do encourage whānau to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Our COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics in Picton, Wairau, Nelson, Richmond and Motueka are continuing in Level 4, with Level 4 restrictions. We will be in touch if we need to rebook you to a different time, otherwise please come if you are scheduled to come and don’t hear from us. You can book now for you and your whānau at any of our upcoming clincis, call 0800 672 642 and press option 1 to register.  

Manu Ora takes flight

Manu Ora takes flight

Today, Wairau’s new Manu Ora healthcare service is open and giving local whānau a new, high-quality and culturally appropriate way to improve their hauora. The service is a partnership between Nuku Health and Te Piki Oranga, and is supported by Marlborough Primary Health and Rangitane o Wairau.

The service’s name ‘Manu Ora’, represents a bird taking flight after achieving hauora (wellbeing). 

Manu Ora is a charitable organisation with a small healthcare team dedicated to providing quality care within a kaupapa Māori model and committed to te Māori me ngā tikanga Māori. The service is subsidised for Te Piki Oranga whānau, Community Services Card holders and other whānau who meet the enrolment criteria.  

‘We are committed to reducing the inequities in both access to primary health care and the health outcomes for our highest need patients in Wairau, particularly our Māori community,’ says Manu Ora's Sara Simmons.

‘We strive to create an environment that is caring, respectful, empathic and collaborative with our patients and their support networks, and supportive, stimulating and rewarding for our kaimahi (staff).’

The Manu Ora team will work closely with each other, alongside patients, to ensure every staff member can provide high-quality and ongoing care.

When a patient first signs up, they will be offered an extended enrolment appointment with a nurse and a GP from the team. Following this, a coordinated management plan will be developed and documented to ensure each patient’s health needs are met.

The Manu Ora team also aims to act as health advocates for their patients, and to go the extra mile to ensure their health needs are met.

You can book an appointment in advance or drop into the walk-in clinic (where patients are prioritised according to how urgent their medical treatment needs are).

Call Manu Ora on 03 577 5810 or drop into 219 Howick Road, Wairau.

Manu Ora’s guiding whakataukī

Mā te huruhuru, ka rere te manu

Me whakahoki mai te mana ki te whanau, hapū, iwi.

Kia korowaitia aku mokopuna kit e korowaitanga hauora.

Adorn the bird with feathers so it can fly and return the mana to us.

Let our future generations be embraced in good health.

A new purpose for whānau whare

A new purpose for whānau whare

When Carolynn Tipene learned of the new Manu Ora clinic opening at 219 Howick Road in Wairau, it brought back years of happy memories.

For Carolynn and her siblings, the building that houses the new Manu Ora clinic was called home for many years.

Jim and Violet Walker bought the building from Māori Affairs around 1959 and the whare was home to all nine of their children until 2016, when Violet sadly passed away.

“As a whānau we were sad to see the house go, but life must go on!” says Carolynn.

But when the whānau learned that the whare was to become a clinic providing culturally sensitive primary health care, it brought tears to their eyes. Carolynn believes her mum and dad would be so happy to learn of the whare’s new purpose.

As tamariki, the Walker’s were brought up to understand whānau ora and holistic wellbeing and Carolynn says that the whare is steeped in the values of te whare tapa whā (Māori holistic model of health).

The news of Manu Ora was an opportunity for the whānau to share their memories and Carolynn says it has brought them all much happiness.

She recalls the backyard was full of fruit trees and gardens that not only fed the whānau, but the whole neighbourhood. “Our father gardened by the moon and the flower garden was Mum’s domain. It wasn’t unusual for people to wander off the street for a closer look,” says Carolynn.

The harakeke still growing there was gifted by the whānau’s Papa, Kereama Keelan (Ngāti Porou), when his daughter Violet left her home in Tolaga Bay, as a young bride, and moved south with Jim. 

 Carolynn also remembers that the whare had an open-door policy; there was always kai and a bed available to anyone who might need one.

 Jim leased the paddock at the back of the property (now full of houses) where he kept sheep, chickens, pigs, and a horse at one stage.

 The whole neighbourhood of kids visited the house, where they created a BMX bike track (long before its time) and took bike frames from the dump and welded and built their own BMX and chopper bikes.

 On behalf of her entire whānau Carolynn would like to thank Te Piki Oranga and Manu Ora for bestowing hauora and mana once again to 219 Howick Road and says “you have brought a lot of joy to the whānau of Jim and Violet Walker.”

Māori Cancer Community Hui - Saturday 12th June, Ūkaipō

Hear the voice of Whānau Māori!

Ūkaipō, Rangitāne Cultural Centre, 1 Fell Street, Grovetown, Blenheim
Saturday 12th June 2021

Te Aho o Te Kahu is committed to working together with Māori Leaders, Stakeholders and Communities to improve outcomes!

Come have your say and help us design kaupapa Māori cancer solutions.

Kai, kōrero, kapa haka, mirimiri, rongoā, whānau workshops.

Registration: 8.30am | Mihi Whakatau: 9.10am | Poroporoaki: 3:30pm

RSVP with attendance & transport requirements.

Name: Te Hauora o Ngāti Rārua
Email: hauora@thonr.org
Phone: (03) 577-8404

Transport available from Nelson and Blenheim.

Covid-19 Vaccines: What you need to know

Aotearoa has received the first batch of a Covid-19 vaccine and has prepared roll-out plans for three different scenarios, depending on the level of community transmission.

If there is no/low community transmission, border and managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) workers will be vaccinated first. This is to reduce the risk of them getting Covid-19 and the roll out should be completed by the end of March.

Healthcare and essential workers, including Te Piki Oranga kaimahi, and those most at risk of severe illness will then be vaccinated in the second quarter of the year (from April to June). The general public vaccinations are expected to begin in the second half of 2021 (July onwards).

If there is widespread community transmission, those most at risk of severe illness—including older people, and Māori and Pasifika—will receive priority access to the vaccination.

This will be the largest immunisation programme our country has ever undertaken and a lot of work is going on behind the scenes with the Ministry of Health leading the roll out.

Te Piki Oranga’s Covid Response Manager Sarah Lee was employed last year to coordinate Te Piki Oranga’s response and coordinates Covid-19 recovery activity across Te Tauihu.

To make sure the correct information is in the community and online, she has prepared answers to some frequently asked questions about the Covid-19 vaccines to help you and your whānau make an informed decision when the vaccine becomes available. More information on the general vaccine roll out is due from the Coivd-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins on Wednesday 10 March.

Click here for more general information about Covid-19 and if you have any further questions about Covid-19 vaccines, please contact your local public health organisation (PHO).

It’s all about kōtuitui

After five years on the Te Piki Oranga management team as Te Pou Taki (Cultural Adviser), Sonny Alesana has a new role, as Kōtuitui Hapori (Community Connector).

‘We were already doing a lot of work with the community and had also been asked by other organisations to provide cultural advice on health,’ Sonny explains.  ‘In this role, it’s about Te Piki Oranga engaging with service providers to support families.’

He commenced the role in November 2020 and, since then, has been focusing on ensuring individuals and whānau can access Te Piki Oranga’s services with ease.

Being responsive

The Kōtuitui Hapori role was initially created in response to the pandemic, to help mitigate the negative social impacts of Covid-19 for whānau, but Sonny says it is about being  responsive and creative to find solutions for the needs of whānau.

‘Covid-19 has been difficult for some families but there have also been positives,’ says Sonny, ‘and I like to focus on the positives. There’s employment out there but now it’s about how we prepare our whānau for those employment opportunities. It’s also about preparing others who might have lost their jobs and working out how we can utilise their transferrable skills to ensure they can transfer into other industries and jobs.’

Supporting tamariki and rangatahi at school is another focus. ‘Covid-19 really identified that, for some of our families, they didn’t have the digital equipment they needed to support their children in their education or they had the equipment but didn’t know how to use it to access student portals. We had to be creative in the way we worked.’

Sonny adds, ‘Then you have families ring you to say their child’s at home and they’re not willing to go to work. It’s about looking at how we can provide services early to avoid bigger costs in the long run. Prevention is better than the cure.’

He also sits on a gateway panel with Oranga Tamariki to ensure whānau are getting the right support when their children are being returned from care.

Looking ahead, Sonny will be working with a team of five to six other community connectors in Te Tauihu. They are planning to meet in person soon to determine what services can be offered, ensuring they are not duplicating what is already available. 

Read about how Sonny connected with a local shearer, who with a new driver licence says he is ‘unstoppable.’

Sonny Alesana has a new role, as Te Piki Oranga’s Kōtuitui Hapori (Community Connector)

Calling in the dolphins to support mental health and wellbeing

Wild dolphins brought big smiles to the faces of tamariki and rangatahi towards the end of last year, during a special boat tour off the coast of Waitohi (Picton).

Te Piki Oranga’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in Wairau arranged the special tour through local wildlife tour company E-Ko Tours, which provides the opportunity to encounter several species of dolphins including dusky, bottlenose, common, and the rarer hector’s dolphins, as well as orca.

Recent research shows that cetacean species (whales and dolphins) have achieved a level of social-emotional sophistication not achieved by other animals, including humans. In addition, the hypothesis of biophilia—which recognises that human beings need to commune with nature in order to thrive—and the success of other animal-assisted therapy approaches, inspired the initiative.

Mātauranga Māori provided a model for the journey; the children learnt about the relevance of whales and dolphins to Māori, their own whakapapa connection to the dolphins who guided their ancestors to the area, and increased their environmental awareness of, and knowledge about, ways to protect the whenua (land), moana (sea) and taonga (dolphins).

The Te Piki Oranga organising team, which included Paola Montarnaro, Karena Martin and John Hart, conducted ancient Hawaiian and Māori ceremonies to help prepare the children for their interaction with the dolphins. This included blowing the Pumoana (shell trumpet) to call them in.

‘The trip out to the dolphin sanctuary did not take long and, as the journey progressed, the group began to engage more fully with the kaupapa,’  says Karena.

When the pod arrived, they brought with them their babies, some as young as two days old. The dophins surrounded the boat and made direct eye contact with the children, responding to the group’s signals, sounds and waiata with joyful and social behaviour. Both the children and adults alike greeted them with delight. 

John Hart, Te Piki Oranga Pukenga Manaaki (Whānau Navigator), says, ‘The captain said that our efforts and calling our Tipuna Taniwha (water spirit ancestors) brought the dolphins in close and we enjoyed their company for a solid hour of laughs and excitement.’

Paola Montarnaro, Te Piki Oranga CAMHS Mental Health Clinician, adds: ‘The children were able to see and experience their social interaction from a very close distance and let the dolphins perform their healing magic. Once back on land, we could see smiles and a sense of peace and ease, even in the expression of the most reluctant participants. It was a very special and profound therapy session.’

Paola says CAMHS selected E-Ko Tours because they strive to be good kaitiaki (guardians), by using profits from their tours to fund conservation projects that contribute to the sustainability of both whenua and moana.

‘It was amazing to observe the positive changes brought about from the interaction with the dolphins,’ says Karena. ‘The trip back to Blenheim was filled with lively discussion about what had been seen and experienced.’

Mātauranga Māori provided a model for the day

Pumoana calls the dolphins

Here the dolphins come