National Rural Health Conference 2024

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More than 450 rural healthcare professionals and other delegates from 150 communities across the motu gathered in Wellington recently for the 31st National Rural Health Conference. 

The conference, organised by Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network, was held in the capital’s Tākina conference centre and centred around the challenge of ‘Kahikatea tū i te uru | Growing stronger, together’. Speakers included associate health minister (rural) and mental health minister Matt Doocey, former Te Aka Whai Ora chief executive Riana Manuel and Spark Health chief executive John Macaskill-Smith. New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa snapped pics of some of the delegates socialising at the welcome reception held the evening before the two-day conference got underway.

Zénobie Cornille (and baby Oscar), rural hospital registrar on maternity leave, New Plymouth; Nick Wilson, rural hospital and GP registrar, New Plymouth; and Whare Ambler, rural hospital registrar at Dargaville Hospital

Jonathon Wills, rural hospital specialist and specialist GP at Dunstan Hospital; and René Cescon, rural hospital registrar at Dunedin Hospital

Dan Halliday, rural generalist and president of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine; Rory Miller, specialist GP and rural hospital specialist at Thames Hospital and director of University of Otago’s rural postgraduate programme; Garry Nixon, rural hospital specialist at Dunstan Hospital and rural health professor at University of Otago Dunedin School of Medicine; and Felicity Williams, rural hospital registrar at Tuki Tuki Medical Centre, Waipukurau

Tom Dawson, specialist GP and rural hospital specialist at Hawera Hospital; with Kyle Eggleton, specialist GP and associate dean (rural) at the University of Auckland School of Medicine

Alex Mcleod and Sandra Flooks, specialist GPs at Coromandel Family Health Centre; and Roger Strasser, emeritus rural health professor at the University of Waikato

Tania Kemp, nurse practitioner at Aotea Health (Great Barrier); Russell Riki, kaumātua from Raglan; Hemaima Reihana-Tait, clinical nurse specialist at Te Aho o Te Kahu (Cancer Control Agency). All three are members of Te Rōpū Ārahi, a partner with the Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network board

Manoj Kumar Vishwanath and Hitesh Kanani of NeilMed Pharmaceuticals, Auckland

Liffey Rimmer, specialist GP and rural hospital registrar at Wairoa Health/Queen St Practice; and Penny Rongotoa and Sherryl Parkin, both managers at Te Whatu Ora Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay

Jean Ross, nursing professor at Otago Polytechnic; and Sue Adams, the University of Auckland-based co-leader of the Nurse Practitioner Training Programme

Deborah Rhodes, PhD candidate at Victoria University of Wellington; and Katherine Hall, specialist GP and senior lecturer at the University of Otago Dunedin School of Medicine

Annika Boehm, Nicola-Mary Geraghty, Daniel Lavin, Joseph Frith, Angel Harbers and Rebekah Kenny – all students at the University of Auckland

Sarah Walker, physiotherapist and director of allied health at Central Otago and Waitaki District Health Services; Jane George, social worker and rural health researcher at Auckland University of Technology; and Lynne Clay, physiotherapist and rural research fellow at University of Otago

Helen Clayson, rural doctor and regional coordinator of Wairarapa rural medical immersion programme; and Emma Boddington, specialist GP and regional coordinator of West Coast Rural Medical Immersion Programme

Medical students Geraldine Atchico and Ondre Hapuku-Lambert; and engineering student Joseph Kaw; all from the University of Auckland

Owen Draper, Emily Gray and Heather Patterson; all physiotherapists based at the University of Otago School of Physiotherapy, Dunedin

Luke Barker, a medical student at the University of Otago; specialist GP Sarah Creegan of Waimate Medical Centre; and Anna Hulme, rural hospital and GP registrar at Te Whatu Ora Te Tai O Poutini West Coast

Gayle O’Duffy, specialist GP at Methven Medical Centre; and Fiona Bolden, specialist GP at Whangamatā Medical Centre and chair of the Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network

Tania Kemp, nurse practitioner at Aotea Health (Great Barrier); and Melissa Nikora, registered nurse prescriber and Tania Chamberlain, hauora services manager; both at Ngāti Kahungnunu ki Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua, Tararua

Margareth Broodkoorn, Ahorangi/CEO at Hauora Hokianga; Rhoena Davis, nurse practitioner and deputy chair of Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network; Kim Gosman, co-chair of Te Rōpū Ārahi; and Trevor Davis

Mike Loten, specialist GP at Raglan Medical; Grant Davidson, chief executive of Hauora Taiwhenual Rural Health Network; and Adrian Wilson, specialist GP at Raglan Medical

Denise Guy, PRIME national administrator and Stephen Graham, PRIME service manager; both at Hato Hone St John

Lisa Meadows, recruitment consultant at STAT recruitment, Canterbury; and Kate Stark, a nurse practitioner at West Otago Health

Chris Hill, rural hospital specialist at Ashburton Hospital; and James Reid, rural hospital specialist and clinical director at Lakes District Hospital, Queenstown

Greville Wood, specialist GP at Te Whata Ora Te Tai Poutini West Coast; and Miriam Martin, specialist GP at Village Health Lincoln Road and director of STAT Recruitment, Christchurch

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