Health providers meet to discuss a more connected health service for Stratford

17 July 2015

On Thursday 16 July, Primary Health Care Ltd (PHCL), Taranaki DHB and Stratford Health Trustees met with Stratford Health Centre staff to share their joint vision to develop a more integrated and connected model of service at the Stratford Health Centre.

Neil Volzke, Stratford Health Trust Chairman said “It was a positive meeting about how we can make better use of the space available at the health centre by offering more health care services in the one place, which would be of great benefit to the Stratford community.”

The next step for the group is to develop an options appraisal around the additional services the health centre could offer to Stratford residents as well as a review of how staff might work in a collaborative way to support a more integrated approach.

“A good example of the kind of expanded health service we aspire to providing in Stratford is the CoastalCare Health & Community Centre, recently opened in Opunake,”explained Mr Volzke.

“Opunake residents have been calling it ‘the medical centre’ but in reality it is much more than that. In addition to a GP, Pharmacy and Taranaki DHB, there are other health and social service providers either utilising or discussing future use of the facility, with opportunity for others” he added.

The group will meet shortly to discuss some options on what the new service could look like.

Mr Volzke said, “The response today from Stratford Health Centre staff has been positive and once an options appraisal has been completed we want to engage the wider Stratford community for their feedback”.

ENDS

For more information please call:  Cressida Gates, Media Advisor, 027 703 6177

Last updated: Friday, July 17, 2015