Pinnacle Health

24/09/2025

Tongariro e koro e
Te kei o Te Arawa
Taupō nui a Tia
Tūwharetoa tāngata
E Te Arikinui Tā Tumu Te Heuheu Tūkino VIII, takoto mārire mai.
He pou mō tō Iwi, he pou anō hoki mō te ao māori.
Nō reira e Te Ariki Tā Tumu Te Heuheu moe mai, moe mai, moe rā.

Tongariro, oh revered elder
The stern of Te Arawa waka
Taupō nui a Tia (the lake)
The people of Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Te Arikinui Tā Tumu Te Heuheu may you rest in peace.
A steadfast pillar for his people but equally a steadfast pillar for te ao māori.

Pinnacle Midlands Health would like to extend our condolences on the passing of Ngāti Tūwharetoa Te Arikinui Tā Tumu Te Heuheu VIII.

We would also like to extend our aroha to the whānau pani and the iwi of Tūwharetoa at this time of mourning.

Tūwharetoa, Maranga rā.

23/09/2025

🧑‍⚕️Yesterday (22 September) some of our Lakes team gathered in Taupō for the blessing of the new Great Lake Medical Centre. The new centre will be led by Dr Harry Faulls and Nurse Practitioner Louise Faulls, a husband-and-wife team. 🩺

It was a real privilege to come together with local marae and hapū, represented by Te Moananui Rameka, to mark this milestone for the practice, the Taupō community, and Pinnacle Health.

In photo (left to right): Kris Lyall, Dr Harry Faulls, Louise Faulls, Pen Blackmore, Heather Lang, Barb Purdie.

Read full story here: https://www.tauponews.co.nz/stories/new-doctors-surgery-for-taupo

16/09/2025

✨ This year marks 50 years of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week)!

At Pinnacle, we’re proud to support this kaupapa as a primary health organisation with the largest Māori enrolled population in Aotearoa New Zealand. For us, it’s both a celebration of te reo Māori and a reminder for our kaimahi to weave more reo into everyday life.

To open the week, our Kirikiriroa kaimahi joined others in our building (Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu, Tonkin+Taylor, and Norris Ward McKinnon) with karakia, waiata, and kōrero about personal journeys in learning te reo. Across our sites, activities are planned throughout the week to encourage staff engagement and promote te reo Māori.

🤝 How are you and your teams celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori in your workplaces and communities?

02/09/2025

🌏✨ Ka rawe! Pinnacle Health is proud to celebrate our clinical director, Dr Jo Scott-Jones who has been chosen to deliver the John McLeod Oration at the 2026 World Organization of Family Doctors - WONCA World Rural Health Conference in Wellington.

This international honour recognises those who have made an exceptional difference in rural communities. It's a fitting tribute for Dr Jo, a GP in Ōpōtiki for more than 30 years, a national leader, and an advocate for equity, culturally safe care, and training future rural health professionals.

"To be selected by the WONCA working party on rural practice is an acknowledgement of the contribution they feel I have made to developing health for all rural people. To follow in the footsteps of past orators and global rural health pioneers like Dr John McLeod is incredibly humbling," says Dr Jo.

It’s also the first time New Zealand will host the WONCA World Rural Health Conference — a chance to celebrate our role in rural health innovation and advocacy.

👏 Please join us in congratulating Dr Jo on this remarkable milestone!

Related links:
- https://www.ruralwonca2026.com/
- https://www.globalfamilydoctor.com/News/JohnMcLeodOration2026.aspx #:~:text=Renowned%20Rural%20Health%20Leader%20to,a%20significant%20acknowledgment%20of%20Dr.

30/08/2025

25/08/2025

👏 We’re proud to celebrate Dr Brendon Eade, who has been awarded the Community Service Medal by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP). 🌟

This national recognition highlights his tireless service to the community as a dedicated GP, and his leadership in transforming general practice from reactive care to proactive, planned consults through the Health Care Home model at Health Te Aroha.

Dr Brendon also served on the Pinnacle Board for 15 years, guiding our organisation with wisdom and heart before stepping down last year. His impact continues to inspire the next generation of GPs to make a difference in their communities.

We’re so proud of you, Dr Brendon!

Read: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/waikato-news/news/te-aroha-doctor-honoured-with-community-service-medal-from-royal-nz-college-of-gps/IJTNRLBF6ZG3NJ3ITIBYNAKLKE/

He received the service medal from the Royal NZ College of General Practitioners.

22/08/2025

K'aute Pasifika Trust and the Waikato Tongan Community Charitable Trust are hosting the Tonga Day Festival at the fale this weekend. Head to their page for all the details. Supporting Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea faka-Tonga (Tonga Language Week) Hamilton. 🌺🇹🇴

📣 Tonga Day Festival - Come celebrate with us this 'aho Tokonaki 23 'Akosi!! 🥁🇹🇴

Feel the heartbeat of HamilTonga through the vibrant culture, mafana performances, and the ancient lea-faka Tonga at the fale!

All are welcome 🌺'Oku talitali lelei 'a e tokotaha kotoa!

🕙 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
📅 Saturday, 23 August 2025
📍 K'aute Pasifika Village Fale, 100 Seddon Rd, Frankton

Let's celebrate together Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea faka-Tonga (Tonga Language Week) Hamilton! A time for us to be fiefia, be loud, and embrace our Tongan Community here in Hamilton. We hope to see you there at the fale!!🌴🎶

Together in partnership with Waikato Tongan Community Charitable Trust. Mālō 'aupito!

21/08/2025

We’re a little late sharing this, but it’s too special not to celebrate! 💙
At the end of July, Dr Gemma at Little London Medical delivered the Peter Anyon Memorial Address at the The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) annual conference, and received a medal recognising her outstanding performance in her first year of GP training.
A huge achievement and a proud moment for the Little London whānau. Congratulations Dr Gemma! 👏

20/08/2025

The Government’s proposed Healthy Futures Amendment Bill will roll back years of progress towards health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand by weakening key provisions in the Pae Ora Act.
For our region of Te Manawa Taki, that could mean changes including:
• more Māori tamariki missing out on immunisations
• trusted local services disappearing
• rural whānau waiting longer or travelling further for care
We believe the Bill will harm Māori health, weaken equity, and open the door to more privatisation.
Submissions closed on Monday 18 August. We told the Health Committee why this Bill will widen health gaps, and shared practical recommendations for a fairer, more equitable future.
Read our submission on our website: https://tinyurl.com/yjdwykf9
💬 What do you think – same care for everyone, or the right care for each person’s needs?

14/08/2025

It’s Te Wiki Hauora Wāhine | Women’s Health Week - a time to acknowledge the many hands, hearts, and minds working to improve the health and wellbeing of wāhine across Aotearoa New Zealand. 💜

To those on the frontline - GPs, nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives, kaiāwhina, immunisation teams, mental health practitioners, pharmacists, physiotherapists, paramedics - thank you. And to those behind the scenes - administrators, public health planners, researchers, policymakers, advocates ... we see you too.

Your mahi covers so much: urgent and everyday care, diagnosing and treating illness, responding in emergencies, delivering immunisations and screening, contraception advice, menopause care, maternal health, mental health support, managing long-term conditions, health education, and more.

There are so many more of you than we can name, but your impact is felt every day.

Ngā mihi for your dedication, not just this week, but always. And thank you for seeing us too.

📌 Read more:
Women’s Health Strategy 2023–2033 (Ministry of Health): https://www.health.govt.nz/strategies-initiatives/health-strategies/womens-health-strategy
Healthify - Women’s Health Topics: https://healthify.nz/hauora-wellbeing/w/womens-health-topics
Women’s Health Action: https://www.womens-health.org.nz

12/08/2025

The way we care for our elders, kaumātua and kuia says a lot about who we are as a community, so we are proud to share a new step forward in aged care for the Lakes region 🌿

Cantabria Lifecare and Village in Rotorua is now supported by Third Age Health Lakes with a nurse practitioner-led model of care, led by Nurse Practitioner Teena Robinson. This partnership brings advanced clinical expertise directly to residents, alongside the experienced team led by Sheryl Madlangbayan, enabling timely, holistic care and stronger support for our older population.

📷 At the blessing on Monday 11 August: Gigi Reid, Anne-Marie Midway-Murray, Pen Blackmore, Heather Lang, Niomi Fleming, Teena Robinson, Minoo Baker, Judi Bellamy, Jennifer Horgan-Smith, Sheryl Madlangbayan.

11/08/2025

⭐ 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲!🎉

Ngā mihi, congratulations to Reweti and the team at Turanga Health on being named a finalist in the 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘢𝘶𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘊𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘛𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 (𝘌𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘺) 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 at the 2025 New Zealand Primary Healthcare Awards | He Tohu Mauri Ora.
Tūranga Health is a kaupapa Māori health provider in Tairāwhiti leading the way in reducing health inequities for whānau in the rohe. They were also a founding partner of the Midlands Regional Health Network Charitable Trust – the PHO Pinnacle operates on behalf of. Turanga Health has been recognised for their Winter Preparedness Programme, which helps whānau stay well over winter with practical, culturally grounded support.
We’ll be cheering you on at the Awards in September, e koutou mā!
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/gisborne-herald/news/turanga-health-delivers-flu-shots-dental-care-in-winter-campaign/ZY77CZXS35FAVDHMG2IDLCFHQQ/

Māori health provider gave 560 flu vaccines as part of a winter preparedness campaign.