health
matters
Government
agencies and services
Meningococcal
B Immunisation Programme
http://www.immunise.moh.govt.nz/
Find out about
meningococcal B disease and the
Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme offered
free by the Ministry of Health
to all babies, children and young
people aged 19 years and under.
All
Government Agencies
http://www.govt.nz/en/search/govt-agency-list/
Ministry
of Health
http://www.moh.govt.nz/
A
very comprehensive website
with information that ranges
from Smokefree
changes and Meningococcal
B Immunisation Programme
to Pacific Health and Screening
Programmes.
Map
of all District Health
Boards (DHBs)
http://www.otagodhb.govt.nz/district.asp
21
District Health Boards
(DHBs) are responsible
for improving; promoting
and protecting the health
of the population they
serve.
Otago
District Health Board
http://www.otagodhb.govt.nz/
The
Otago DHB is responsible
for planning, funding and
providing government-funded
health care services for
the 176,500 people who
live in Otago. The region
served includes Central
Otago District, Waitaki
District, Clutha District,
the Wanaka ward of Queenstown
Lakes District and Dunedin
City.
The
web site "provides
a full range of information
about the Otago District
Health Board and its activities,
including what services
are available, how services
are planned and funded;
meeting information, employment
opportunities and how to
have your say on health
and disability support
services in Otago."
A
very informative website,
for example about Primary
Health Organisations (PHOs)
of which there are 5 in
Otago: Mornington PHO,
Taieri and Strath Taieri
PHO, Dunedin City PHO,
Rural Otago PHO and Otago
Southern PHO.
Primary
Health Care (PHO) Strategy
http://www.moh.govt.nz/primaryhealthcare
Builds
on the population health
focus and the objectives
of the New Zealand Health
Strategy and the New Zealand
Disability Strategy, and
outlines how a different
approach to primary health
care will improve the health
of all New Zealanders.
PHOs will take various
shapes and sizes, be not-for-profit
and will be funded by District
Health Boards to work with
enrolled populations and
their communities to achieve
the Strategy's objectives.
Otago
DHB Health Related Directory
http://www.otagodhb.govt.nz/dhb_contact.asp
A
search engine provides
access to over 900 organisations,
both Otago and national,
providing key contact details
and a short service description.
Use the Key Word Search
to find organisations that
include support groups,
health and
disability service providers,
advocacy groups, and other
agencies with an interest
in health and disability
issues.
Southland
District Health Board
http://www.southlandhealth.co.nz/healthboard/index.jsp
"SDHB's
catchment area encompasses
Stewart Island, Invercargill
City, rural Southland,
Gore, Te Anau, Queenstown
and Glenorchy. Southland’s
population consists of
approximately 45% in rural
Southland, 41% in Invercargill
City and 14% in the Wakatipu
Basin. The Maori population
represents 11.6% of the
total district’s
population, and the Pacific
Island community forms
approximately 1.1% of the
region’s
population.
The
statutory objectives of
SDHB are to improve, promote
and protect the health
of our communities; to
promote the integration
of health services across
primary and secondary care
services, and to promote
effective care or support
of those in need of personal
health services or disability
support."
Download Statment
of Intent 2003-2006 as
pdf file from the site.
South
Canterbury District Health
Board
http://www.scdhb.co.nz/
Responsible
for the planning and funding
of most publicly funded
health and disability services
in South Canterbury. Owns
and operates Timaru Hospital & Community
Services and the Talbot
Park long stay facility.
Current
policy documents are available
to download,
for example District Annual
Plan 2004-05 Mental Health
Plan 2004-05 as well as
South Island Regional Mental
Health Plan 2004-05.
Mental
Health Commission
http://www.mhc.govt.nz/
The
Mental Health Commission's
collection of links to
relevant organisations,
services and groups: http://www.mhc.govt.nz/pages/links.htm
Office
for Disability Issues
http://www.odi.govt.nz
"The
Office for Disability Issues
is responsible for ensuring
government keeps faith
with the New Zealand Disability
Strategy, by promoting
the participation and inclusion
of disabled people in our
society."
Has
information about the Office,
disability in New Zealand,
and what the government is
doing to promote the well-being
and inclusion of disabled
people. Also has a mailing
list.
Smokefree
Law in New Zealand
http://www.moh.govt.nz/smokefreelaw
A Ministry of Health site that explains
the amendment to the Smoke-free
Environments Act 1990 and what it
means for both employers and employees.
Also has information about where
to make a complaint.
MEDSAFE -
NZ Medicines and medical
Devices Safety Authority
http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/
Information
on Oral Contraceptives/HRT, List
of Consumer
Support Groups, how
to make
a complaint if
you have been given the
wrong medicine and
more...
Pharmac
http://www.pharmac.govt.nz/
One
of PHARMAC's functions
is to promote the responsible
use of medicines and
runs information campaigns
to patients and clinicians,
for example Wise
Use of Antibiotics
"To raise awareness that antibiotics
are not a cure-all for winter colds and flu,
and that overuse can lead to antibiotic resistance."
Download
'About Colds + Flu'
http://www.pharmac.govt.nz/pdf/240603.pdf (PDF
file)
'All-at-Once'
or 'Stat' Dispensing
http://www.pharmac.govt.nz/stat.asp
Links
to Other Health Related
websites
The
Health and Disabilities
Commissioner
http://www.hdc.org.nz/
View the
Health and Disability Commissioner
Act 1994 and find out about
the the
code of rights of health
and disability consumers,
advocacy and publications.
Eldernet
http://www.eldernet.co.nz/
Provide "timely,
relevant, up to date, comprehensive
information about services
that are available for
older people." Includes
a database directory of
New Zealand rest homes,
residential care, retirement
villages, home help, community
groups, public hospitals
and other third age services.
Links
to Health Related websites
http://www.otagodhb.govt.nz/links.asp
A
short list of key health
and disability agency websites
, both Otago and national,
categorised into key areas
for easy reference. Includes:
advocacy, carers, child & youth,
complementary health, disability,
general medical, government
agencies, Mäori,
mental health, older peoples
services, primary care,
public health, rural and
women's health.
Complementary
and alternative medicines
website
http://www.cam.org.nz
Provides
consumers with evidence-based
information about complementary
and alternative medicines.
Funded by the Ministry
of Health and run by
a research unit in the
Department of Public
Health and General Practice
at the Christchurch School
of Medicine. Features
easy-to-read summaries
of the international
evidence on various treatments,
for example the use of
Echinacea to treat colds,
and spinal manipulation
for lower back pain.
Categories include acupuncture,
chiropractic, herbal
medicine, homoeopathyand
osteopathy.
Osteoporosis
New Zealand
http://www.bones.org.nz/
A
national organisation established
to reduce the incidence
of osteoporosis in New
Zealand. Formed to raise
awareness and knowledge
of osteoporosis and to
provide a national "voice" for
those with osteoporosis
and those at risk. Has
a 1-minute risk test for
women and fior men, information
about prevention and treatment
as well as resources.
Everybody
http://www.everybody.co.nz/index.html
A
commercial quality assured
health promotion site.
Includes a list of NZ
Health and Disability Support
Groups and a
Smoking Cost Calculator.
Virtual
Hospital
http://www.vh.org/index.html
US
based. "A
digital library of health
information."
Women's
Health Action Trust
http://www.womens-health.org.nz
Box
9947
Newmarket
Auckland
ph
(09) 520 5295
fax
(09) 520 4152
"A
charitable trust with the
aims of providing women
with high quality information
and education services
to enable them to maintain
their health and make informed
choices about their health
care. We have a health
promotion and disease prevention
focus, with a special interest
in screening. We approach
health within a holistic
framework of the whole
of women's lives, rather
than from a narrowly medical
perspective."
National
Cervical Screening Programme
http://www.cervicalscreening.govt.nz
BreastScreen Aotearoa
http://www.breastscreen.govt.nz
Email: screening@moh.govt.nz
The BreastScreen Aotearoa age range was extended in 2005 to women aged 45-69.
National
Screening Unit
http://www.nsu.govt.nz
The site has information about the screening programmes overseen by NSU:
Antenatal HIV Screening
BreastScreen Aotearoa
National Cervical Screening Programme
Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme
Universal
Newborn Hearing Screening Programme
The site has been developed for consumers and participants in screening
programmes, with a separate section for health professionals. There is also information
about other areas of screening such as antenatal screening for Down syndrome and
colorectal cancer screening. |
