Eketahuna Health Community Health

THIRTY YEARS ago the Eketāhuna Health Centre – Te Whare Ora O Eketāhuna – was established as the first nurse-led clinic in New Zealand and has become a leader among rural health clinics, offering health services like vaccinations, cardiac and diabetic screening and elder health support, it has evolved to become a “primary health care hub” providing the community with support ranging from budgeting services to counselling, Plunket classes and community garden involvement.

The Centre is a registered charitable trust, with annual part-funding from the Mid Central District Health Board. However, it relies heavily on additional funding sought from a number of generous community funding providers.

Since October 2017, no GP has been available, forcing some local patients to travel to Masterton or Pahiatua to see a doctor. This adds to the patient’s stress and expense.

This facility currently employs three registered nurses, a community coordinator, and a completely volunteer executive management committee, comprising local business people and rural health care advocates.

The Health Centre offers health screening and health promotion, and also receives support from external providers offering long term conditions clinics, mental health counselling, and alternative services like reflexology.

The Centre operates the local food bank, hosts weekly yoga and exercise sessions, Menz Shed meetings, a monthly morning tea group, regular night school classes through REAP Wairarapa. The attitude is: to roll up the sleeves, get stuck in and provide the best rural nursing health care services it can!

Maintain existing services and enable development of new services.