Rural

More than 60 per cent of Waikato DHB's population resides outside of Hamilton. It is the most rural DHB in New Zealand.

This challenges us when looking at options for service delivery in the future. Our rural hospitals are important parts of their communities and we need to consider how they provide flexible, sustainable and clinically appropriate services in the future. This is a pressing issue for both Tokoroa and Taumarunui hospitals faced with ageing buildings, inability to attract some clinical disciplines and rising community expectations.
Other issues – ageing health workforce, difficulties in recruiting and retaining health professionals, facilities not geared to future needs, and transport problems accessing secondary services – are common across the rural parts of our district. We are using conventional, shared and innovative approaches, often testing them through pilot projects, to find ways to address these issues in a sustainable way.

Community based health services
Matariki
Rhoda Read
Taumarunui Hospital
Te Kuiti Hospital
Thames Hospital
Tokoroa Hospital

Rural Advisory Group 2010

Terms of reference

Adam Wardle

Adam is a performance analyst with Waikato DHB's Planning and Funding division. His areas of responsibility include rural and after hours' primary services.

Aroha Te Tai-Dempsey

Aroha is a mobile nurse for Raukura Hauora o Tainui, a comprehensive primary and pre-primary care service that provides services to a population that expands across North Waikato, Hamilton and South Auckland.
Raukura Hauora o Tainui addresses the needs of Maori and are inclusive of all those who need these services. Aroha has been a representative of the Rural Advisory Group since its inception in 2005.

Hugh Kininmonth

Hugh has been chief executive of Te Korowai Hauora O Hauraki since 2000. He holds a Master of Health Management and Post Graduate Diploma in Management. After 10 years working in international communications in Japan, Hugh decided to enter into the New Zealand health system in 1994. Rural Advisory Group

Grant O'Brien

Grant is the change manager for Waikato DHB. His role includes managing the district health board's community consultation, engagement activities, the Programme Management Office and the rural health portfolio.
Grant had originally trained as a social worker and has a master's degree in public policy from Victoria University and research interests in sustainable rural health services.
Recently Grant was involved in developing Waikato DHB's response to sustaining after hours' primary care services as well as the development of the Rural Health Plan.

Robin Steed

Robin is chief executive of the New Zealand Institute of Rural Health; an institute that aims to promote the health and wellbeing of rural New Zealanders.
The institute holds a number of service contracts in the rural sector targeting improvement in rural health through research, education and support of rural practitioners and communities.
Robin has held various management positions in health including that of Community Services general manager for Waikato DHB.
Robin also holds an Advanced Diploma in nursing as well as a Master of Business Administration.

Sue Burton

Sue was invited into the Rural Health Advisory Group in 2003 including a rural spouse into the group. Having already been involved with a small support group of rural spouses in the Waikato, this has helped lead to Sue's understanding of how rural GPs are coping with the changes in the health system.
Sue sees her main role in the group as waving the flag for spouse and family, who are a significant factor in the retention of health professionals in rural areas.

Brent Nielsen

Brent has given 20 years of loyal service to St John. In his current role of regional operations manager of St John Midland he leads New Zealand's second largest ambulance service, which includes a team of nearly 550 members.
Actively involved in the community, Brent is involved in both local boards and committees. Some of these include Cambridge Rotary and Volunteering Waikato Board of Trustees. Brent has Post Graduate Diploma in Management Studies and a Masters in Business Admistration through Waikato University.

Carol Clarke

Carol is the service manager for Specialty and Rural Mental Health Services for Health Waikato. This portfolio includes: ‘Infant, child and adolescent’, ‘Drug and alcohol’, ‘Perinatal’, and ‘Older persons’ services throughout the Waikato DHB area, as well as rural adult services.
Carol originally trained as a nurse and has a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Studies from Auckland University as well as currently completing her last year of a Masters in Business Administration from Waikato University.