THE NUHSPAPER

AUGUST 2012ISSUE 6 VOL 1

THE NEWTOWN UNION HEALTH SERVICE INFORMATION NEWS SHEET

IllusTraTed evenTs

InTroducIng: The nuhs reFugee TeaM

http://www.facebook.com/NewtownUnionHealth

coMIngs and goIngsA quiet month in the comings and goings department. We welcome Josie Bain, who has come to the NUHS Re-ception Team from the Emer-gency Department of the Hutt Hospital. And congratulations to Seborah Hanipale who accepted a full-time position with our hard working recep-tion team.

lasT chance For Fluvac agaIn agaIn!!!

NUHS has been working with refu-gees since the arrival of Cambo-dian refugees fl eeing the Pol Pot regime during the 1980’s. NUHS has welcomed refugees from many countries including Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Iraq, Afghanistan and, most recently, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

The NUHS Refugee Team over-sees the arrival and ongoing healthcare of ‘quota’ refugees who come via the United Nations High Commission For Refugees (UN-HCR); and those family members who are successful in migrating under the category of family reuni-fi cation.

The team provides on-arrival health screening and treatment for infectious diseases; care for long term conditions such as diabetes; care and specialist follow-up for chronic injuries sustained as a result of armed confl ict or rudimen-tary health service provision; catch up vaccinations for adults and children; sexual health; maternity care; social work and anything in between.

Refugees are forced to fl ee their countries of origin leaving behind

family, friends, possessions, careers, common language, customs and culture. This means refugees often arrive with an acute sense of loss and longing for all they have left behind. This, combined with experiences of political turmoil, armed confl ict, torture, incarceration and death of loved ones, leave scars that require ongoing psychological support.

Our work is made possible by our frequent use of professional interpret-ers and by other organisations we work closely with, such as Wellington Refu-gees As Survivors Trust (RAS), Refugee Services Aotearoa, Regional Public Health, Positive Horizons and Welling-ton Somali Council, all of whom work to support refugees in their re-settlement.

Jonathan Kennedy (GP), Stefanie Döbl (Social Worker) & Serena Moran (Nurse)

The team at the Pacifi c Health Clinic on Broadway, Strathmore.

The Minister of Health has extended the time availble for free Fluvac for those with eligible criteria till end of August. Ask one of the clinicians!

Don’t give me the water of life with humiliation, give me a glass of bitter apple with dignity

Ever wondered what’s behind the midwives’ room door? Bronwen Eve and Karen Keefe are caught here organising for the next ante-natal clinic.

Arabic Proverb - From left:Jo Muir - Monday DrFou Etuale -Tue/Wed NurseViv Coppell - DrNikki Turner - Tues DrNadine Kuiper - Wed/Fri DrSalote Haukinima - Thurs/Fri NurseBryony Hales - Mon NurseKatrina Harper - Mon Drand Pito Toeleiu - Reception everyday all week!

Missing: Andy O’Grady - Wed/Fri DrJudith McCann - ReceptionMegan Higgins - Thurs Dr

Board Talk

Is IT The Flu - or “jusT a cold”?

The recent UCAN action has strength-ened the NUHS links with the kaupapa of the union movement.This has been a timely reminder of the origin of the conditions that brought about the cre-ation of the Union Health movement. We thank the Council of Trade Unions, NZ Nurses Organisation, Service and Food Workers, and the Maritime Union for their support at the recent UCAN rally.

The Board has agreed to support the Living Wage Campaign. “The Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand cam-paign brings together community and faith-based organisations and unions around a common goal of achieving a living wage as a necessary step in reducing inequality and poverty in our society.” www.livingwagenz.org.nz

The CCDHB announced there will be no reversal of the $274k funding cuts to NUHS. The Board faces the task of responding to this financial situation. Increases to patient charges are only one aspect of the Boards response.

There have been some changes to the Board membership.The Board accepts the resignations from Tina Bennett, Mark Derby, and Linda Hobman and thanks them for their contributions to the service. The Board welcomes Julie Lamb and Gamini Settinayake, co-opt-ed for their financial expertise.

The next Community Advisory Group meeting: Wed, Sep 5, 2012, 5pm in the NUHS Staff room. Please contact nurse Kieran for further information if there is a community group you feel you may be able to represent.

The Managers cornerThis is the time of year when budgets are being finalised and decisions be-ing made on how the service income will be allocated for the next financial year. This is an extremely difficult chal-lenge given we have $274,000 less to distribute than the previous year.

The NUHS Community Advisory Group continues to meet regularly to discuss current issues and to provide advice to the NUHS Board. In addition UCAN (United Community Action Network) is bringing the community together to raise the issues and impact from the cuts to health care. I would like to take this opportunity to thank both these

groups for their fantastic work and passion that sup-ports the NUHS team to provide health care for lo-cal communities. Knowing we have this strong and proactive com-munity support is invaluable and is appreciated by all members of the NUHS board and staff.

Fiona Osten

Flu season has started, and it seems the mysteriously named virus (A)H3N2 is the main culprit this year. Influenza viruses come in many types. For exam-ple, ‘swine flu’ also goes by the label (A)H1N1. Both of these strains of influenza virus are covered by the 2012 seasonal flu vaccine.

But have you ever wondered how and who decides which strains of flu are chosen for the flu vaccine. Did you know that NUHS plays a part in the planning?

Every year health services across the southern hemisphere can volunteer to monitor the presentation of influenza. If you come to NUHS with a flu-like ill-ness, you may be asked for a throat swab, not so much to help in treatment, but to find out, if it is influenza, which strain it is. The results of these swabs taken throughout the flu season are col-

Sore throat, headache,runny nose, sore eyes, hot and cold, feeling miser-able, cough cough cough… We often call this the flu. So why does your nurse or doctor say you have a cold, but not the true FLU?

Influenza is a specific illness, caused by a range of influenza viruses, which includes the following symptoms:

UCAN meets on the hospital steps prior to presenting at the CCDHB Board meeting

lated by the World Health Organisation. A vaccine is then developed that cov-ers the 3 most common strains, which is used in the northern hemisphere’s flu season that follows.

Similarly, in the northern flu season, health services will take swabs, to de-termine which influenza viruses we will be vaccinated against.

Another aspect to the flu surveillance for Regional Public Health is to report every week the number of patients presenting or calling in to NUHS with flu-like symptoms. This contributes to the statistical picture of flu, and alerts health authorities to any possible out-breaks or epidemics.

Having flu is nasty, but thanks for your contribution to combatting this serious disease!

· A rapid or sudden onset· High temperatures· Chills and fevers· Weakness and aching muscles· Headache· Loss of appetite

Influenza takes 7-10 days to clear, and usually people with flu will need time off work or school. It is a serious illness, every year some NZers will die of influ-enza. Past world-wide pandemics have killed millions. Antibiotics are not effec-tive at either preventing or treating flu, (nor a cold) as it is caused by a virus.

Your best protection against flu is to be vaccinated – and free flu vacs are now still available until the end of August for those over 65 years old, or who are pregnant, or have certain longterm ill-nesses such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease. Last chance!

Flu surveIllance