Search

Kiwi Health Jobs, a national job website advertising vacancies in public hospitals, has reached another milestone with over 650,000 visits since its launch in 2011.

Kiwi Health Jobs currently advertises clinical and non-clinical jobs for all district health boards (DHBs) and the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS).

“70 per cent of the 650,000 visits were from New Zealanders, with the remainder international visitors largely from the UK, Australia and the US,” says Mr Ryall.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says revised clinical guidelines released today will make it easier for New Zealanders to find out if they are at risk of developing heart disease or diabetes.

“Cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, are the leading cause of death in New Zealand. And diabetes is one of the fastest growing long-term conditions in the country,” says Mr Ryall.

“The earlier heart disease, pre-diabetes or diabetes are detected, the sooner that people can make healthy changes to their lifestyles.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of general practice teams, more New Zealanders are getting checks for diabetes and heart disease, more babies are being immunised, and more people are getting help to quit smoking.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says the latest national primary health care target results released today, show general practice teams are focused on improving the health of New Zealanders.

“28 out of 36 Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) have achieved or exceed the new immunisation target of 90 per cent,” says Mr Ryall.

Health Minister Tony Ryall was today joined by Prime Minister John Key to announce the main construction contract for Burwood Hospital’s multi-million dollar redevelopment has been signed today and construction will start in the New Year.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee, Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Amy Adams and Christchurch MP Nicky Wagner were also at today’s signing of the construction contract.

Record numbers of kiwi kids received a free B4 School Check (B4SC) from July to November this year – over 2700 more children than over the same period last year.

“More children than ever before are now receiving B4SCs to help identify any health or learning difficulties before  they start school,” says Health Minister Tony Ryall.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has today announced the government is investing more funding into an initiative to ensure young people with cancer get the support and care they need.

“The Government has allocated an extra $650,000 over two years to help improve adolescent and young adult cancer services,” says Mr Ryall.

“Young people in the 12 to 24 year age group have unique cancer treatment needs. Evidence shows that when young people receive care that is delivered in a way that’s age appropriate, they do much better.

The Crown has sold its 2.82% shareholding in Invercargill Airport Ltd for $5,600 to four papatipu rūnanga of the Ngāi Tahu iwi, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall has announced.

“The Government has never received a dividend from the investment in Invercargill Airport Ltd. Invercargill City continues to hold 97.18% of the shares in the company,” Mr Ryall says.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has welcomed the release of the independent review into residential disability providers’ performance and monitoring.

The review was overseen by an independent review panel chaired by consumer advocate David Russell. Disability Persons Assembly president Beverly Grammer, and management consultant Karen Van Eden were also on the panel.

Mr Ryall called for the independent review following concerns raised this year about some residential disability providers.

A new cardiac procedure for people whose blood pressure remains high even when on blood pressure lowering medicines will be part of a $1.2 million two year trial starting early next year.

“The trial uses renal denervation, a half-hour procedure that ‘zaps’ the nerves to the kidney to reduce blood pressure,” says Health Minister Tony Ryall.

“While this new treatment is still in its very early stages, it shows considerable promise for lowering blood pressure and in turn lowering the risk of heart attacks, heart disease and stroke.

Health Minister Tony Ryall today launched a new Social Sector Trial action plan in Porirua focused on reducing avoidable hospital and emergency department admissions.

“There are now 16 Social Sector Trials throughout the country. The majority of these are focused on improving things such as truancy rates and youth crime. The Porirua Trial is applying this successful model towards achieving better health outcomes for the local community,” says Mr Ryall.

An embarrassing middle-aged Dad trying to impress his teenager’s friends by supplying them alcohol features in a new publicity campaign to remind people of new laws about supplying alcohol to under-18 year olds.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the campaign, developed by the Health Promotion Agency (HPA), relates to law changes this month around social supply of alcohol to under-18s.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has today announced the chairs and deputy chairs of the 20 district health boards (DHBs).

“14 chairs and 13 deputy chairs are continuing in their roles,” says Mr Ryall.

“To encourage greater regional collaboration in the planning and delivery of health services, there are seven chair and deputy chair cross-appointments.

“For example, there are multiple cross-appointments of chairs and deputies in the four Northern region boards and the three boards in the Greater Wellington region.

State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall today announced seven new appointments and 11 reappointments across five SOEs and two airport companies. 

“This appointment round introduces some highly skilled directors into the portfolio and also provides for good continuity of skill and experience,” says Mr Ryall. 

Men and their families now have information resources to help them talk more confidently with their GP about prostate cancer.

Information technology (IT) is transforming the way doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals care for patients, says Health Minister Tony Ryall.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says the latest health target results show more New Zealanders are receiving treatment, with public hospitals delivering over 40,000 elective surgical operations between July and September this year.

“This result is almost 2000 more than the target set, and is another positive reflection on the progress made over the past five years on getting people the surgery they need,’ says Mr Ryall.

Quarterly national health target results released today show health services for New Zealanders continue to improve.

Health Minister Tony Ryall today officially opened Wairoa’s new $5 million integrated family health centre.

“Today is about future proofing health services in Wairoa,” says Mr Ryall.

“Wairoa people can now see a raft of health professionals under one roof, including general practitioners (GPs), mental health professionals, community health workers, nursing services and visiting hospital specialists.

Health Minister Tony Ryall today visited Hawke’s Bay’s new $1.7 million dialysis unit which is giving more patients access to this life sustaining treatment.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has today announced the appointment of Kim Gordon as the Director of Health Benefits Limited (HBL).

“As well as having a strong background in management, law and information technology, Ms Gordon is currently employed as Head of Group Procurement for Contact Energy and will contribute skills and experience that are very relevant to HBL’s business,” says Mr Ryall.

Ms Gordon will commence her role in December.
 

The government is investing an extra $1.6 million into getting the healthy eating message out to Waitemata and Central Auckland’s hardest-to-reach new mums and their families.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says local community health groups and Waitemata and Auckland District Health Boards are working together to encourage families, who are not well linked into health services, to access antenatal, postnatal and infant healthcare.

There has been an unprecedented increase in the Maori immunisation rates over the past four years.

Immunisation rates for Maori children have improved so much in the past four years that the Maori rates are now equal to or better than the New Zealand European rate in more than half of the country’s district health boards (DHBs).

Helping students quit smoking, arrange new glasses and attend school more frequently are just a few of the benefits for Gisborne students using School Based Health Services (SBHS).

Health Minister Tony Ryall says the SBHS programme, which provides around 56,000 high school students access to nurses in secondary schools, is helping to identify health issues in teenagers and connect them with health services.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has welcomed the 377 new graduate doctors who have accepted positions in public hospitals across the country.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said these junior doctors work under supervision and gain broad experience during their placement.

“I really wish these new junior doctors well for this next stage of their medical education,” says Mr Ryall.

“Despite the fact doctor retention is at an all-time high, every New Zealand citizen and permanent resident who graduated from one of our medical schools was offered a position.

Health Minister Tony Ryall is travelling to Melbourne today to learn more about the Healthy Together Victoria programme which supports Victorians to live healthier lives.

The locally-led programme is concentrated in 12 areas across Victoria. It focuses on encouraging healthy eating and physical activity, and reducing smoking and harmful alcohol use in workplaces, sport clubs, schools and communities. A skilled local health promotion workforce based within local councils lead the effort.