HealthPathways’ success prompts new Streamliners’ premises

“No matter how good our software is, it’s great content that makes the difference to our members”

Streamliners has opened new premises in its native Ōtautahi Christchurch in response to the continued success of HealthPathways and to support the company’s growing workforce.

The event, held on 12 April, saw 150 health professionals, Streamliners’ staff members, lawyers and other key people who have supported the organisation since its inception visit the new Acton Street location.

The building has been purpose-built to facilitate Streamliners’ growth, both as an organisation and for anticipated ongoing recruitment. Some 130 of its 150-strong workforce are based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, with the remainder overseas.

Streamliners now has two buildings joined by a courtyard to form the “Streamliners’ campus”, which has been created to keep the company’s headquarters firmly where it was founded.

Emma Harding and Ian Anderson co-founded Streamliners in 2000 to make it easier for workers in a variety of industries to access necessary information in real-time.

One of the company’s products, HealthPathways, the globally successful brainchild of Mr Anderson and Ms Harding, is an online manual used by tens of thousands of frontline clinicians in New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

It draws on evidence shared and improved by more than 60 health systems responsible for approximately 35 million people worldwide and is designed to help clinicians assess, manage and make specialist requests in the treatment of over 550 conditions.

New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa reported last year that, in April 2023, NHS Wales became the first country in the world to sign up to implement it nationally.

The Joined Up Systems Trust (JUST) acquired an 80 per cent ownership share in Streamliners in June 2023 and the remaining 20 per cent ownership belongs to Te Whatu Ora.

Streamliners’ chief executive Stella Ward was MC for the event and took the opportunity to thank attendees.

“I just wanted to acknowledge our guests from Te Whatu Ora and the wider Canterbury health system past and present – it has been a strong collaboration that has built the world-class capability that is our HealthPathways and Stronger Schools products,” Ms Ward said.

Mr Anderson and Ms Harding both delivered speeches at the event, with the former focusing on continuous growth, saying it has been a “constant part of Streamliners’ journey”.

“Coupled with that continuous growth is the need to have a workplace where people feel they can be effective and are valued and can relax.

“When we designed this new building across the courtyard that we’re celebrating today, we decided to…treat [it] as an integrated part of the Streamliners’ campus, rather than as a stand-alone building.”

Mr Anderson said sustainability was also a focus in the construction, with care taken in the methods and materials used.

As a result, the building includes:

• Recycled rubber flooring in the stairwell.
• PVC-free carpet tiles throughout the open-plan spaces, with “Cradle to Cradle” certification.
• Efficient Dyson airblade combo dryer/taps to reduce energy, water use and avoid paper-towel waste.
• Acoustic Batts in the open-plan office made from high recycled content.
• Mammoth insulation in the walls, made from recycled polyester instead of glass fibre; these were also made in the South Island to minimise carbon and travel miles.
• The stairwell was intentionally located and designed to be welcoming and usable to prioritise stair use over the lift, promoting health while reducing energy use.
• Stairwell feature lighting made locally in Woolston, also to minimise carbon and travel miles.

Mr Anderson said occupant health was also a major factor with a range of measures taken to ensure comfort, which he says is not often considered in sustainable builds.

Despite heavy rain on the opening day, the spirits of attendees were not dampened.

During her speech Ms Harding said herself and Mr Anderson “are committed to [Ōtautahi Christchurch and Waitaha Canterbury]. We were brought up here and have lived here most of our lives, and we’re not going to walk away”, adding that this commitment was the reason for the new build.

Reflecting on HealthPathways and its growth, Ms Harding said the content has been key.

“No matter how good our software is, it’s great content that makes the difference to our members.

“By applying that philosophy consistently, we’ve grown and developed [our products] – all of which are successfully making a big difference to health and social services in Aotearoa NZ and across the world.”