Coordinator Update April 2012

For the second time New Zealand is taking part in World Health Organisation International Immunisation week...

Welcome from the desk of the National WellChild /Tamariki Ora coordinator.

What’s New

Immunisation Week April 23-29th 2012
For the second time New Zealand is taking part in World Health Organisation International Immunisation week.
The immunisation team at the Ministry of Health will be issuing a media release and a story on their web-site -
www.health.govt.nz/news-media/news-items/immunisation-week-2012-protect-your-child-protect-our-community.
They have also provided some printed resources for GPs, DHBs, A &Es, midwifery centres, Maori and Pacific Health Providers and Plunket – there is also a limited supply available to order from HealthEd.govt.nz., and some email images available from the team at the Ministry.

The main message is -
Protecting your child and your community by getting your child immunised on time is the theme for immunisation week - and it’s free.

Key points to share with your workforce and our whanau and tamariki are
• Immunise on time, every time to protect your child
• Immunisation is free
• By immunising your child you are also helping to protect the whole community – especially the vulnerable such as the very young babies and the elderly and sick,
• Currently about 92% of 2 yr olds in New Zealand are fully immunised - We would like to see this at 95% by July so that the miseries caused by measles and severe whooping cough really can be things of the past.
Many DHBs ,PHOs and Health Providers are already doing special activities for the week  - if you haven’t got something planned it is never too late – even just a poster display, or a message on your answer-phone or email signature tag may just remind someone to take action

Immunisation issues particularly affecting under fives include –

Pertussis

High levels of whooping cough continue across the country, with over 2,800 reported nationally since August 2011 when the current outbreak began. Children under one-year-old, who are the most at risk of severe illness, have accounted for around 7% of cases and around 60% of hospitalisations.
Immunisation is the most important measure for preventing pertussis, especially on time immunisation of infants and the scheduled boosters at 4 years and 11 years.
It is also important to encourage where you can boosters for adults who work or live with infants, such as healthcare workers, education staff, pregnant women and households and carers of infants.
(although these groups remain unfunded at the moment).

Influenza

Remember to consider this in high risk infants and children with chronic diseases.

Meningitis and pneumonia

These illnesses are around still and can often be confused with flu so don’t forget the pneumococcal vaccines.

Current Theme

WellChild / Tamariki Ora book

The focus this quarter is on immunisation to back up International Immunisation Week
which is why I have added an immunisation flavour to our quiz this time.
Generally, our theme for a few years to come however, is continuing to promote the Well Child/ Tamariki Ora book and checks as a whole.

This is an opportunity to really get to know the WellChild/Tamariki Ora Health Book and promote its use as a record of the infant’s most important years.   Make the book a treasure to keep, and a source of important information and advice.
Pictures, drawings, comments by grandma should all be there alongside the health professional’s notes and checks.

Hot topics

Current issues WellChild providers might like to focus on at present in conjunction with the Wellchild/Tamariki Ora book may include

Child safety on the roads with daylight saving changes.

Hearing and Glue ear prevention as we enter autumn and Winter Months.

Suitable holiday activities - for good and bad weather - that don’t involve a TV or computer screen and don’t cost lots of money.

Quiz

1. What vaccine can provide protection against pneumonia, meningitis and ear infections?
2. Name 3 of the key SUDI messages?
3. What is the easy way to remember the free 0800 dental line?
4. What should be the maximum gap between bars on cots, playpens, stair gates etc?
5. Which Flu vaccination is suitable for infants over 6 months of age?

After hours care for Auckland residents

If your medical need isn’t an emergency you can go directly to your local After-Hours Healthcare Network A&M clinic. 
The After-Hours Health Care Network is made up of Auckland’s Primary Health Organisations, the three DHBs and 11 Accident and Medical Centres. 
After hours care now costs less for those most at risk. There are 11 after-hours A&M clinics around Auckland which offer more affordable services to children under six, adults 65 and over, and low income individuals and families. Click here to find the clinic closest to you
 
www.afterhoursnetwork.co.nz

Resources

We are planning to have a continued stock of balloons and magnets available as well as banners and the Health Education resource web-site has the usual stickers, leaflets etc.
We hope by creative budgeting and careful management to have funds also available sometime to get the height charts we designed available for general distribution - so watch this space.
Our overall plan is to continue to develop the web-site as a source of information and use that as our main communication means also.

I am still very happy to come to any local gatherings or present the WellChild / Tamariki ora framework at any appropriate meetings to help promote the book, the checks and the schedule - if you have any such meetings or conferences coming up please let me know.

Web-Site

We have been working on the web-site over the summer and I am aware that there have been some glitches - hopefully we have sorted most of them out now but you can never be certain!
The aim this year is to try to keep it more informative and up to date – if you have any news or stories or upcoming events that you would like to post on the web-site in the future please let me know.
I guess the next step will be a face book page!
Feedback

My email address is:  m.dalton@auckland.ac.nz comments and suggestions are always welcomed.
 
 
Dr Marguerite Dalton,
National WellChild/Tamariki Ora Week Coordinator