West Coast Health

16/03/2026

It's important to protect your lungs from dust and fumes. Karen shares tips to keep them safe 🫁

16/03/2026

16/03/2026

📣 Mōrena – reminder our free clinic is on today

🌿Nurse Practitioner Jennie Bell appointments are now fully booked — thank you everyone.

🌿Pharmacist Ginny Brailsford will be in the whare
🕙 10am – 12pm
Walk-ins welcome | No charge

🌿 Rongoā Māori Clinic – ORA TIKA with Ema Weepu
🕙 10am – 1pm

Ema will be available to assess and tautoko your whānau health needs using traditional Māori healing knowledge and methods.
Koha is gratefully accepted | ACC accredited

We look forward to welcoming you into the whare today, nau mai!

16/03/2026

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12/03/2026

Asthma is commonly picked up in tamariki, but it can affect anyone at any age. The good news is, with the right support and treatment plan, it doesn’t have to hold you back. 💚

12/03/2026

HPV (human papillomavirus) is one of the most common viruses in the world. For many people it causes no harm, but it can lead to several preventable cancers.

✅ The HPV vaccine is the best protection against HPV. It’s a safe and effective way to protect people of all genders.

💙 The HPV vaccine is free for people aged 9 - 26. Most young people are offered the vaccine at school, usually in Year 7 or 8. This is the best time to vaccinate and get long lasting protection.

🏫 Missed it at school? You, or your whānau, can still catch up. It’s easy to get the HPV vaccine from your local healthcare providers. You can also book online through Book My Vaccine.

👫HPV affects everyone. Cervical cancer is the most common cancer caused by HPV, but it’s not the only one. Around a third of HPV related cancers affect men.

🫶When everyone is vaccinated, it helps protect the whole community.

ℹ️ Find out more and book your vaccine today (link in the first comment).

12/03/2026

12/03/2026

From 1 April 2026, people who use flexible funding through Disability Support Services (DSS) will have more flexibility in how they use their funding for disability-related supports.

The purchasing rules for flexible funding will be removed, while people’s allocated budgets stay the same as they are now. This means there will be no disruption to current supports.

These changes apply to people who use flexible funding. If you don’t receive flexible funding, nothing changes for you.

We know the last period of change has been hard for many disabled people, families, whānau and carers, and that it created uncertainty for many. Since then, work has been underway to improve the disability support system so it is fairer, more consistent, and easier to understand.

In February, DSS introduced a nationally consistent way of assessing needs and allocating funding. These April changes build on that work and reflect what the disability community told us through consultation.

From 1 April:
👉 Purchasing rules for flexible funding will be removed.
👉 People keep the same allocated budgets for flexible funding they have now.
👉 This gives more choice and control over disability-related supports, including respite options for carers
👉 You still need to keep your spending within your allocated budgets
👉 Flexible funding must still be used in line with people’s plans
👉 A small number of items will remain prohibited or require pre-approval
👉 There will be more support to help people to plan and manage their flexible funding.

These changes mean people can feel confident their supports will continue to reflect their assessed needs. You don’t need to do anything to get ready for these changes. Your Host, NASC or Enabling Good Lives site will continue to support you, and your current arrangements remain in place.

If you have questions about your own situation, your Host, NASC or Enabling Good Lives site is the best place to talk through what this means for you.

Thank you to the disability community for your feedback and patience as we begin to deliver these improvements.

You can find more information below 👇

https://www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/news/more-choice-control-and-certainty-for-disabled-people-with-flexible-funding

11/03/2026

Clinical Nurse Specialist Karen shares some of the signs of COPD and explains how people can get support 💚

11/03/2026

After-hours primary care and pharmacy this weekend:

Kā Ora Telecare provides people with a quick and easy solution to connect with a health care professional for afterhours medical advice and treatment.

The service is open 5pm to 8am (evening and overnight) on Weekdays, and 24 hours in Weekends and Public Holidays.

You can connect with the Ka Ora Telecare team by:

1. Calling 0800 2 KA ORA (0800 252 672)

You will first be greeted by a Kaiawhina or a Nurse. The team will assess your health needs, and you can either see a clinician directly or you may also choose to schedule an appointment later in the evening.

2. Booking an Appointment online through the ‘Book Appointment’ button for Ka Ora.

Available from 5pm to 10pm weekdays and 8am to 10pm weekends and public holidays.

By booking an appointment, you will have a specific appointment time to connect directly with the medical team over phone or video.

For more information about the after-hours service, check out our website - https://westcoasthealth.nz/your-health/after-hours-care

Weekend Pharmacy:

Unichem Olsen's Pharmacy is open Saturday 10am - 2pm
Unichem Te Nīkau Pharmacy is open Sunday 12pm - 2pm **

Westland Pharmacy is open Saturday 9.30am - 12.30pm
Westland Pharmacy is open Sunday 10am - 12pm

Buller Pharmacy is open Saturday 9.30am - 12.30pm

Ka Ora West Coast Primary Care Practices are closed at night and on the weekend. You can access care at night-time or on the weekend by accessing Ka Ora Telecare. Telecare means the service is provided via the phone or internet.  Ka Ora Telecare provides people living in rural areas with a quick a...

10/03/2026

Stopping smoking is the best thing a person can do for their health. Even if you’ve smoked for years, your lungs begin healing, and your health starts improving within days of quitting.

🌱In 20 minutes to an hour, your resting heart rate and blood pressure begin to decrease
🌱After 8 hours, the oxygen level in your blood increases to normal
🌱Within 12 hours, almost all of the ni****ne is out of your system
🌱After a month, your lung function has increased by up to 30%

Your health will continue to improve for years after you quit.

Visit the Smokefree website to learn more about the benefits of quitting: https://www.smokefree.org.nz/quit/tips-and-advice/the-benefits-of-quitting #:~:text=What%20happens%20after%20you%20quit,1%20year

It’s never too late to quit. There are several smokefree programmes across the West Coast, with support available at home, at your medical practice, or at your pharmacy. Ni****ne replacement therapy and incentive programmes are available to help you along the way.

Visit our website to learn more about support options and take the first step toward being smokefree: https://westcoasthealth.nz/your-health/living-a-healthier-life/stop-smoking

10/03/2026