Choices - Kahungunu Health Services

01/02/2026

Kia ora,

Our clinics will be closed Waitangi Day - 6th February. We will reopen as per normal hours Monday 9th February.

Have a safe long weekend, if you have an emergency, please phone 111 or head to the emergency department.

20/01/2026

Breastfeeding is more than nourishment, it not only sustains pēpi ā tinana, but also ā wairua, strengthening the sacred bond between māmā and pēpi. This connection affirms whakapapa and supports lifelong hauora.

We are lucky enough to have Barbara Pomana (2nd from the left) be apart of our team to provide breastfeeding support, along with the mirimiri she already provides for hapū māmā and kaumātua.

Mirimiri can be booked by phoning our clinic on 0508 942 628, this takes place every Monday.

Hawkes Bay Maternity Staff are thrilled to have passed another Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) audit and accreditation. The mission of BFHI is to protect, promote and support breastfeeding world-wide. Both Hastings and Wairoa maternity services have maintained their baby friendly status.

The BFHI audit is an ongoing quality improvement programme where each step is monitored and assessed. Our first accreditation was in February 2007, with this being the 6th audit that Hawkes Bay has passed and assessments are now every 4 years.

Baby Friendly Aotearoa standards known as The Ten Steps, are based on WHO and UNICEF BFHI standards developed in the 1980s. This global assessment tool is the foundation of the audit process for all countries.

The overall aim of BFHI is to enable services to better support whānau with infant feeding and for whānau to develop close, loving relationships, ensuring that all infants get the best possible start in life.

14/01/2026

The awesome team at Flaxmere Pharmacy won't be going far 👌🏼

05/01/2026

Immunisations during hapūtanga (pregnancy) and childhood are crucial for keeping our whānau (family) safe and healthy.

Getting your Whooping Cough/Boostrix vaccine while hapū (pregnant) helps protect your pēpi (baby) in their early weeks of life, when they’re most vulnerable, and ensures they’re safe until they can receive their first dose at 6 weeks.

Childhood immunisations help protect tamariki (children) from serious and sometimes life-threatening diseases like measles, whooping cough, and mumps. By getting vaccinated, tamariki build immunity against these illnesses, which helps prevent the spread to others, especially to those who are too young or too vulnerable to be vaccinated themselves.

Free Phone 0508 942 628 to book in or pop in clinic and speak with reception.

04/01/2026

𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒓!! 𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏!!

Our nurses are here for all your general and sexual health needs.
Had a little unsafe "fun" over the festive season? 😅 Come in and get a sexual health check - we have all your treatment and contraception needs covered.
Tamariki needing immunisations before school? Our nurses can get them sorted.
Hapū and needing your whooping cough vaccine, we can do that here.

What's even better, our services are free for most. Nau mai haere mai.
Give us a call to book 0508 942 628 or pop in clinic, walk-in's are welcome and generally seen within 5-10 minutes.

03/12/2025

Kia ora,

Someone left a phone at our Flaxmere clinic yesterday - Wednesday 3rd Dec. If this phone is yours, please head into clinic. Admin will not hand over the phone unless the correct description is given.

Ngā mihi,
Choices

02/12/2025

As 2025 comes to an end, we would like to give a big mihi to all of you who trust us with your care. Without you, there would be no us.

We have two more weeks of our working year to go, that gives plenty of time to get your contraception ready for the festive season.
Whether that be condoms, the pill, the depo injection or the Jadelle rod - our nurses can do them all.

What is even more important is getting a sexual health check to make sure you are clean before the fun starts 👀 I know you all know what we mean.
Our last day for blood tests and STI checks will be Tuesday 16th, this gives us time to receive results and give treatment if needed.

24/11/2025

Super helpful especially in that early postpartum so māmā can rest ✨

UPDATE: Due to an inundation of referrals, we have temporarily turned off our referrals while our volunteers work their way through our current referrals. Thank you for your understanding.

Hey Hawke’s Bay! 👋
If you or someone you know could do with a few nights off cooking, we’ve got free nourishing meals ready to go. Bellyful provides free nourishing meals to whānau with babies or children under 12 who are facing tough times like illness, bereavement, stress, isolation, pregnancy, miscarriage, or baby loss – no matter their financial situation. Our support is for families without a support network.

Self-referrals welcome: https://bellyful.org.nz/bellyful-branches/hawkesbay/

18/11/2025

Our clinics will be closed for two weeks over the Christmas/New Year period, make sure you pop in clinic to get your contraception sorted for the festive season.

Last day in clinic Friday 19th December - Reopening Monday 5th January.

15/11/2025

With Syphilis on the rise, here is a little education around Syphilis and hapūtanga.

Testing for Syphilis is recommended every 3 months if you have had changes in sexual partners. It's a simple blood test, no booking is needed.

While we routinely check for Syphilis when a wahine falls pregnant, changes in partners (by either side) can mean it can be caught during hapūtanga. If this happens, Syphilis can cross the placenta and infect pēpi at any stage of pregnancy.

If untreated, syphilis increases the risk of:
Miscarriage
Stillbirth
Preterm birth
Low birth weight
Premature rupture of membranes

Effects on the baby (Congenital Syphilis)
Newborns may have:

No symptoms at birth (but can develop complications later)
Skin rash
Fever
Anemia
Enlarged liver and spleen
Jaundice
Bone abnormalities
Severe nasal discharge (“snuffles”)
Neurological problems (hearing loss, developmental delays)
Vision problems
Failure to thrive

Congenital syphilis can be fatal if not treated.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1H7E8DBKfH/

Syphilis rates have risen 45% nationally since 2022, hitting wāhine, rangatahi and pēpi Māori hardest, urging for more testing and open sexual health.

06/11/2025

Chickenpox Vs. Measles...

If you're unsure, give us a call and speak with a registered nurse - 0508 942 628

06/11/2025

Walk-in immunisation appointments are available at our Flaxmere clinic for both children and adults however it is best to call - Free phone 0508 942 628

First appointment for immunisations is 9:00am with the last appointment at 2:30pm.

It’s Measles Immunisation Week! 🛡️

Measles is highly contagious - but the good thing is it’s also preventable. This week is all about making sure our communities are protected.

💉 The MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) is free for anyone under 18 and for those eligible for free healthcare.
📍 Drop-in clinics are running across the country - no appointment needed.
👶 Not sure if your child is immunised? Now’s the time to check.

📲 Visit info.health.nz/immunisations/immunisation-clinics for local pop up clinics near you. You can also refer to healthpoint.co.nz as not all immunisation clinics are listed in info.health.nz.

Another option for booking an MMR vaccine is to book online: info.health.nz/bookavaccine