This week the Waikato District health Board launched its refreshed organisational strategy with a new vision – ‘Healthy People. Excellent Care'.

Chief executive Dr Nigel Murray says the strategy ensures the DHB is heading in the right direction, focusing resources in order to make a difference and making the most of new opportunities.

The Waikato District Health Board launched its refreshed organisational strategy this week. Image: Waikato DHB

'Our old strategy dated back to 2006 and a lot has changed since then,” he explains.

'We are facing increasing health demands from an aging population and large numbers of patients with long-term conditions like diabetes. It's really important that we prioritise the competing demands on our resources so we can meet these huge healthcare challenges.”

The mission statement for the refreshed strategy is: ‘Enable us all to manage our health and wellbeing. Provide excellent care through smarter, innovative delivery'.

Under this sit six key strategic imperatives - Health equity for high needs populations, safe and quality health services for all, people centred services, effective and efficient care and services, a centre of excellence in teaching, training, research and innovation, and productive partnerships.

Nigel says the DHB also has five core values with a theme of ‘People at Heart': Give and earn respect; Listen to me talk to me; Fair play; Growing the good and Stronger together.

These values were developed from staff surveys and feedback about what staff felt were important to them, he says.

'Our new vision [of] ‘Healthy People. Excellent Care' means we will support people to stay fit and healthy in their communities. However, if people do need health and care services we treat them quickly, expertly and in a caring and fair way.”

Nigel says more than 60 per cent of the Waikato DHB's population lives rurally and 23 per cent are Māori and as these two groups have poor access to services, the result is poorer health outcomes for them.

'We need to do things in a much smarter and more innovative way and make the most of new technology. We need to break down the barriers that stop Māori, those living in poverty, people in rural communities and those with disabilities from keeping well,” says Nigel.

'We need to drive healthy life choices like getting vaccinated or not smoking, and intervene early to stop people getting sicker. We need to make sure that when people do need treatment they get the most effective and efficient care in the safest environment.

'And we need to stop doing things that don't make a positive different in people's lives.”

Nigel says the DHB want sto work closely with all healthcare providers in the community like GPs, midwives, residential care homes and charities so it can all have a big impact on people's health and wellbeing.

'Everyone must have the same fair opportunity for a healthy life no matter who they are or where they live,” says Nigel.

The new strategy will be reviewed in five years.

To read the strategy in full or to watch video of staff members talking about the new vision visit the Waikato District Health Board website at: www.waikatodhb.health.nz/strategy

Waikato District Health Board chief executive Dr Nigel Murray. File Photo.