Nurses at Health NZ public hospitals and health services plan to strike from 7am to 11pm on both Tuesday 2 September and Thursday 4 September. Emergency departments will be open for emergencies only.
GPs, after-hours and urgent care clinics, and other community health providers are not affected by the strikes and will continue to operate as normal.
Industrial action — Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Oraexternal link
Local services providing care for older people in Otago and Southland. These include Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) agencies, Meals on Wheels and nursing.
The Needs Assessment and Service Coordination service assesses the needs of people who struggle with daily activities because of age, a health condition or disability. The goal of the needs assessment is to help people maximise their independence.
Older persons' NASC services in Otago and Southland are arranged by the care coordination centre. You can contact them by:
Mental health NASC services are done by our Mental health and addictions needs assessment and service coordination team. They work closely with our Māori mental health and addiction services, Kakakura health services and Synergy wellness teams.
You can contact the team at:
Find out more about needs assessment services, including finding other organisations that offer a NASC.
Older persons' mental health services are provided at Dunedin and Southland hospitals.
201 Great King Street
Dunedin
Gate 2 Elles Road
Invercargill
The Mental health for older persons' service provides assessment and treatment for those aged 65 and over in Otago and Southland. The service is for people who have an identified moderate to severe mental illness which causes significant dysfunction or enduring disability, including dementia with behavioral and psychological disturbance.
The team aims to help people live as full a life and independently as possible. Appointments can be provided in a variety of settings including home, rest home or community mental health offices.
Floor 6 Dunedin Hospital
201 Great King Street
Dunedin
Ward 6C provides inpatient services for people aged over 65 years with mental health needs. It is a 12-bed acute assessment and treatment unit.
We aim to offer a safe, supervised environment to assess your needs and provide any treatment you may require during your admission. We do not provide long-term care as you will be going home or to another facility in the community when you are discharged. Length of stay is variable and depends on the individual patient's needs.
While based in Dunedin, Ward 6C provides a service to all of Otago and Southland.
Dunedin Hospital
Ground Floor
201 Great King Street
Dunedin
The Gibson day unit offers a day-based service providing comprehensive assessment, treatment and rehabilitation services to clients over 65 years old with Mental Health needs.
We aim to assist individuals in meeting their immediate physical and emotional needs and help them to achieve or maintain their highest possible level of health within the community.
The Gibson day unit runs groups Monday to Friday, but not public holidays. Each day caters for patients with different needs.
8am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday (not open public holidays).
Dunedin Hospital
Ground Floor
201 Great King Street
Dunedin
Community psychiatric nurses assess, treat and monitor clients in their own homes. We will work with you and your whānau to build a therapeutic relationship and create a care plan that takes your goals and needs into account. Our aim is to provide you with support to enable you to live as independently as possible and enjoy your life.
Nurse practitioners enhance the care and support of people with significant mental health problems in the community. In some situations, the nurse may work with other health professionals to achieve these goals.
The Home as my first choice programme is committed to helping you or your whānau, maintain health and independence in your community and home. The aims are to educate and encourage health professionals and the community, when supporting and working with older people, to listen to what the older person wants.
The programme:
It starts from asking the question, 'If home is my first choice, what support needs to be in place to enable this to happen?'
In the following videos David, Kaumātua and Tāngata utu nui, and David's daughter Ros share their thoughts about:
Kōrero with David — YouTubeexternal link
David and whānau — Youtubeexternal link
Ingrid talks about The home team in Dunedin and how they can support you in your home.
The home team — Youtubeexternal link
Daphne was in hospital for 9 weeks following a stroke. She was determined to recover in the comfort of her own home and to continue living there. Daphne was able to do this with the support of home support services. Daphne tells her story in the following video.
Patient video: Daphne — YouTubeexternal link
Find out some of the community resources available in your area in our Home as my first choice booklet.
Meals on Wheels is a support service that prepares and delivers a subsidised hot midday meal.
You usually need to be referred to the service by a healthcare provider.
The Citizens Advice Bureau has contact details for Meals on Wheels services in each region.
Meals on Wheels community directory — Citizens Advice Bureauexternal link
To contact district nursing services in
The St John Health Shuttle is a community service that transports people to and from medical and health-related appointments.
The service is run by volunteers. A donation is greatly appreciated to help cover costs.
Hato Hone St John Health Shuttle operates a service:
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the Dunedin to Cromwell shuttle travels via Milton, and on Tuesday and Thursday it travels via Palmerston. There are designated drop off points along the way.
