Sally Webb
From the Chair
Sally Webb - Chair , Bay of Plenty District Health Board
In this issue of Health Matters , I want to focus on how we can each take an easy step to improve our health – give up or at least cut back on sugary drinks , choose water the healthy option .
Recently there has been much focus on the detrimental impact of sugary drinks both here in New Zealand and internationally . There is ample evidence that sugary drinks increase the risk of developing serious health problems - obesity , Type 2 diabetes and tooth decay are three that spring straight to mind .
Latest OECD health figures show New Zealand has the third highest rate of obesity in the world , topped only by USA and Mexico . And findings from research released earlier this year found 52 percent of drinks purchased in this country contained added sugar , compared to 42.2 percent in Australia , 42.8 percent in Canada and nine percent in the UK .
The World Health Organisation recommends our daily intake of free sugar ( added to foods by the manufacturer , cook or consumer ) to be 5 percent of our daily calorie intake . For an adult with an average body mass index ( BMI ) that works out to about six teaspoons , and for a child , it ’ s about three teaspoons . One can of soft drink has about nine teaspoons of sugar – three days ’ worth of sugar for a child . Yet for some adults and children drinking more than one can of fizzy drink a day is not unheard of .
Health Minister Dr David Clark was given an insight into rural health training as part of his visit to the Bay of Plenty recently .
The Minister spent time at Tauranga Hospital talking to staff , and also took the opportunity to visit the BOPDHB ’ s Clinical Trials unit . The self-funding unit within the Bay of Plenty Clinical School Charitable Trust , coordinates clinical research undertaken at BOPDHB and is held in high regard by research companies .
At the unit he also got the opportunity to meet Isaac Smith and Georgina Kiliffen , two fifth year medical students who have been through the Rural Health Interprofessional Programme ( RHIP ) in Whakatāne this year .
This joint student placement initiative between the Bay of Plenty District Health Board ’ s Clinical School , the University of Auckland and Health Workforce New Zealand was established six years ago to attract and retain health professionals in rural New Zealand .
The five week RHIP programme brings together students from a range of health disciplines including medicine , nursing , pharmacy , physiotherapy , social work , paramedicine , speech pathology , midwifery , occupational therapy and podiatry .
Of course it ’ s not just the fizzy drinks that are high in sugar . Many of the so-called ‘ health ’ drinks such as flavoured milk , fruit juices and sports drinks are also high in sugar . Through clever marketing , they are perceived to be healthy options .
The Bay of Plenty District Health Board ’ s vision is ‘ Healthy , thriving communities , Kia Momoho Te Hāpori ōranga ’. And recently we ’ ve produced great resources to encourage our tamariki to develop healthy habits . You can read about the new 5210 package of resources here in Health Matters . The resources are a simple reminder to eat five vegetables and fruit a day , cut down kids screen time to less than two hours , be active for an hour or more each day , and have zero sugary drinks .
So my challenge to all of you is to be mindful about what you ’ re consuming and talk to children about it too . Drink water and encourage your tamariki to do the same . They are at the heart of ‘ Healthy , thriving communities , Kia Momoho Te Hāpori ōranga ’. Our children are our future – take care of them .
Kia kaha
Sally Webb
Medical students talk rural health training with Health Minister
The students live together in student accommodation and learn together looking at health through a rural lens .
For Isaac Smith and Georgina Kiliffen it ’ s been a highly valuable experience .
Isaac says he opted to go on the programme to gain a stronger understanding of the social , cultural , spiritual , and physical influences of the health inequities existing between Māori and Non- Māori in New Zealand .
He describes the cultural exposure he has had through the Whakatāne based RHIP programme as invaluable , and considers himself privileged to have spent time in such a beautiful part of Aotearoa .
Georgina says the multitude of experiences she had such as visiting several marae , local industry , and being on placement at Tarawera Medical Centre , alongside other health students gave a real insight into the health barriers and successes for people in the Eastern Bay of Plenty
On his social media post , the Health Minister thanked the pair for sharing their insights adding that “ it was obvious that they had thoroughly enjoyed serving and living alongside other allied health professionals in remote and rural settings .”
Te Whānau a Apanui Community Health team from left : Nurse Waimate Ngamoki , GP Rachel Thomson GP , Administrator Ripeka Te Haara and nurses Toma Walker and Kiritahanga Savage . Absent Nurse Dorothy Keir and Practice Manager Phillipa Callaghan .
Te Kaha GP ’ s work with trainee doctors recognised
The work of Te Kaha GP Rachel Thomson , supervising and mentoring trainee doctors has been recognised at Auckland University ’ s Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences Annual Teaching Awards .
Dr Thomson received one of three Dennis Pickup Clinical Educator Awards . The awards are granted to those who make an outstanding contribution by virtue of their qualities as role models and their contribution to the relationship between the health professions and the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences . Rachel was nominated by students who ’ ve been on placement at Te Kaha as well as medical school staff .
An award ceremony was held in Auckland in July . As Rachel was attending the Pacific Region Indigenous Doctors Conference in Hawaii she was unable to attend . But a team of staff from the Te Kaha Medical Centre attended and accepted the award on her behalf . In Rachel ’ s words … “ the clinic has won an Award !”
Dr Rachel Thomson runs a rural general practice at Te Kaha . She has been taking Year 6 students for six week attachments since 2007 , as well as hosting Year 4 and Year 5 students on occasion . She finds unique and innovative clinical learning opportunities for her students , and affords them with many memorable experiences which have a very positive and lasting impact on their learning . Both this and the pastoral care she provides goes far beyond our expectations of a rural GP supervisor . She models strong team work between GPs , nurses and other health professionals . She is an outstanding clinician providing holistic 24 hour care to her rural community , epitomising the primary care principles of comprehensiveness , continuity , coordination and patient-centred-ness of care . This serves as a superb role model to her students .
Rachel provides excellent mentoring and supervision for students needing remediation , and despite her workload will take on more when practices are needed urgently . As a Department we have found that Rachel Thomson is a very valuable honorary member of our team . Her contribution to teaching is critical for the success of our programme , for which we are very grateful . Extract taken from Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences awards ceremony .
Learning and teaching is a passion for all staff at Te Whānau a Apanui Community Health ( Te Kaha Medical Centre ). Rachel says the team all participate in the teaching process and provide unique experiences for students .
She says they try and get them out into the community as much as possible and are very grateful to Kerry Nott Pharmacy , Visque Eye Care , St Johns and hospice who often host students for a day .
“ We also work to increase their understanding of the issues facing rural patients in the hope that when they are working in the hospital they remember this learning and help to facilitate good care for our populations . We also hope to contribute to their understanding around cultural safety and the part they can play as health professionals to reduce the inequities and disparities that exist within our health system .”
Rachel says many of the students have stayed in touch and it is great to hear of their progress . “ Personally I really enjoy teaching and hope to do further training as a clinical teacher .”
( from left ): BOPDHB Deputy Board Chair Ron Scott , medical students Georgina Kiliffen and Isaac Smith , Health Minister Dr David Clark , BOPDHB Chief Executive Helen Mason , Professor Peter Gilling , Dr Prue McCallum , Clinical Research Development Manager Charlie Stratton .