Access to Specialist Clinics Great for Whānau

In some cases, they are able to connect whānau with other services to further support their health and wellbeing.

Their external specialist ENT (ear, nose and throat) and Respiratory (asthma and COPD) monthly clinics mean that whānau that need this support are able to access them conveniently, attending either on-site at the Te Kupenga Hauora - Ahuriri clinic or at the Napier Health Centre on Wellesley Road. The specialist services are provided by Hawke’s Bay District Health Board and Breathe Hawke’s Bay.

It’s making a real difference for tamariki like Amorangi Nuku (7). Concerned about possible sleep apnoea and breathing difficulties, the youngster has had numerous GP visits, is prone to throat infections and has a constant runny nose which causes him to breathe through his mouth. A referral through Te Kupenga Hauora – Ahuriri’s Health Team meant that he recently met with ENT Specialist Dr Andrew Dowley, and is booked in for surgery later this year.

Anyone can call and speak with one of the nurses who will assess and find out which clinic would meet their needs. The Respiratory Clinic is held the third Thursday of the month, and the ENT Clinic, takes place the first Thursday of the month. “We see tamariki who go back and forth to the GP and take courses of antibiotics. These clinics are great for the kids stuck in that cycle or those that get left behind,” says Registered Nurse Ruth Wheatley.