Pinnacle nursing director Jan Adams has been awarded as an Honorary Professor of Te Huataki Waiora School of Health at University of Waikato, following her work with the university to establish its Bachelor of Nursing programme.

For the past three decades, Kāwhia’s medical needs have been serviced by Dr John Burton and wife Sue, a qualified medical lab technician. Credit: Brianna Stewart, King Country News

Today Health Minister Andrew Little announced the first nine locality network pilots to improve how healthcare is delivered in local communities. We’re excited to share that Taupō/Tūrangi and Hauraki have been selected in this pilot phase.

Clayton Kohatu (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga and Ngāti Maniapoto) is clearly driven by his kaupapa, and it’s that kaupapa that brings him to our Pinnacle waka as the new network lead for Tairāwhiti.

Pinnacle chief executive Helen Parker has given the Board early notice that she will be moving to France in mid-September 2022. 

Sue van Mierlo is a nurse practitioner working as part of the Lakes Extended Care Team. In her role she supports people to self-manage long-term conditions and diseases, including managing diabetes. A large number of her clients are Māori.

From Tairāwhiti to Taupō and across to Taranaki, Pinnacle Extended Care Teams are experiencing increased referral demand and growing support from general practices.

Pinnacle’s growing mātanga tapuhi nurse practitioner and nurse prescriber workforce is having a significant impact across the network, relieving pressure on GPs, providing patients with greater access to healthcare, and reducing acute calls and hospital admissions.

The Pinnacle rural committee is seeking rural GP representatives.

Farewell to Ventures chief executive Christine Hall, who will step down on 24 December. In the past two years Christine has led a significant transformation of the business by having a laser focus on its core competencies and key strengths.