Health NZ – Hawke’s Bay

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For the next few weeks, our Hawke’s Bay digital team has an extra pair of hands on deck, with Luke Kitchin joining the D...
17/05/2026

For the next few weeks, our Hawke’s Bay digital team has an extra pair of hands on deck, with Luke Kitchin joining the Deskside Team through to 30 June.

Luke is stepping in to work alongside the local team as they tackle a backlog of deskside requests. For our staff across the hospital, that means quicker support for the everyday digital tools they rely on to care for patients and keep services running smoothly.

Deskside teams are often the quiet problem-solvers of the health system. From troubleshooting computers and devices to helping staff reconnect to the systems they need, their work helps keep wards, clinics and offices moving. When demand builds up, it can take time to work through every request.

Having Luke join the team for a focussed period gives the service a welcome boost.

Working shoulder to shoulder with the Hawke’s Bay team, Luke will be helping resolve outstanding tickets and getting equipment, systems and staff back up and running as quickly as possible. It’s practical work that makes a real difference to the day-to-day experience of staff across our hospital.

Kerry Jones, Team Lead Deskside Support for Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora MidCentral, Hawke's Bay and Whanganui said, "The extra support also reflects the strength of regional collaboration, with teams stepping in where they are needed most."

For Luke, it’s a chance to contribute directly to improving the flow of work for both the digital team and the wider hospital community. For Hawke’s Bay staff, it means support arriving just when it’s needed.

The deskside team is looking forward to having Luke alongside them for the month and appreciates the support he brings as they work through the backlog together.

Big progress is happening on site next week.The first inpatient unit modules are arriving soon, travelling 415 km from A...
14/05/2026

Big progress is happening on site next week.

The first inpatient unit modules are arriving soon, travelling 415 km from Auckland to Hastings in carefully staged overnight deliveries.

Delivery dates to be aware of:

Early Monday 18 May | modules 1-4
Early Wednesday 20 May | modules 5-8
Remaining modules arrive early June

Deliveries will happen overnight to reduce disruption, but there will be temporary traffic stoppages and restricted access on Canning Road, along with increased truck and crane activity.

Ambulances and emergency vehicles will have full access at all times, and access will also be maintained for people arriving in labour.

In total, 14 modules will form a new facility that expands hospital inpatient capacity.

This modular inpatient unit will provide more beds sooner, helping staff care for patients and improving flow through the hospital while wider redevelopment continues.

A positive step forward for Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldier’s Memorial Hospital.

💙Celebrating our nurses – thank you, Rapid Response Team (RRT)! 💙 As part of International Nurses Day, celebrated on 12 ...
14/05/2026

💙Celebrating our nurses – thank you, Rapid Response Team (RRT)! 💙

As part of International Nurses Day, celebrated on 12 May, our Hawke’s Bay Hospital nurses and teams are being treated today to a fantastic BBQ lunch from the Rapid Response Team (RRT) – complete with tasty burgers and cake. It’s a generous and thoughtful way to recognise the dedication, skill and compassion our nurses bring to their mahi every single day.

International Nurses Day is a chance to pause and acknowledge the vital role nurses play in caring for our patients, whānau and communities – often in challenging circumstances and always with professionalism, kindness and heart. Gestures like this help us say thank you to the people who give so much of themselves in the service of others.

The Rapid Response Team does incredible work supporting people and whānau across our communities, often stepping in when help is needed most and connecting people with the right support. We’re grateful for their ongoing mahi and for taking the time to help us celebrate our nurses in such a meaningful way.
Ngā mihi nui, RRT – and a very happy International Nurses Day to all our amazing nurses 🌼

👉 Find out more about the Rapid Response Team and their community work here: Rapid Relief Team NZ





Long after visiting hours end, when business hours are over, our nurses are still here.Walking softly through dim hallwa...
11/05/2026

Long after visiting hours end, when business hours are over, our nurses are still here.

Walking softly through dim hallways, checking on patients, responding to emergencies, our nurses are helping people through difficult nights, often without fanfare or recognition.

This International Nurses Day, we’re recognising the incredible contribution nurses make across every part of our health service, with a special acknowledgement to our night shift teams.

The work happening overnight in any hospital is often unseen by the wider community, but it matters deeply to the patients and whānau experiencing it in real time. Thank you for the steady hands, kind words, quick thinking, along with the compassionate care you bring to our community.

To all our nurses, we thank you for your skill, compassion, patience, humour, and resilience. Thank you for the mahi you do, both seen and unseen.

Hawke's Bay hospital and our communities are stronger because of you.

💙 International Nurses Day - 12 May 💙Today we celebrate International Nurses Day and the incredible nurses across Hawke’...
11/05/2026

💙 International Nurses Day - 12 May 💙

Today we celebrate International Nurses Day and the incredible nurses across Hawke’s Bay who care for our people, our whānau and our communities every day.

This year’s theme is Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.

It recognises the extraordinary impact nurses have, and the importance of supporting, valuing and empowering them to lead, influence and deliver safe, compassionate care.

From hospital wards and clinics to community services, Hawke’s Bay nurses continue to show professionalism, resilience and heart, even under pressure.

💐 To all our nurses - thank you.

Your mahi matters, today and every day.

He mihi nui ki a koutou katoa.

💙

A new opportunity is opening up for Rene Bathan, Deskside Engineer, who will soon begin a secondment with the Networking...
10/05/2026

A new opportunity is opening up for Rene Bathan, Deskside Engineer, who will soon begin a secondment with the Networking Team as part of our organisation’s networking uplift project.

The secondment marks an exciting step in Rene’s career development and reflects the progress he has made over the past 18 months while working closely with the networking team locally.

During that time, Rene has been building his skills and expanding his knowledge in network systems and infrastructure. The secondment offers the chance to take that learning further, gaining hands-on experience as part of a larger project designed to strengthen the organisation’s digital foundations.

Projects like the networking uplift are essential for ensuring hospitals and services have the reliable digital infrastructure they need. From connectivity to system performance, strong networks help support everything from clinical systems to everyday communication across our teams.

For Rene, the secondment is a chance to step deeper into an area he is passionate about and explore the direction he would like to take in his IT career.

At the same time, the opportunity reflects the value of investing in people and supporting staff to grow their skills within the organisation.

Plans are currently underway to arrange backfill support while Rene is working with the networking team, ensuring local services continue running smoothly.

Kerry Jones, Team Lead Deskside Support for Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora MidCentral, Hawke's Bay and Whanganui, said "It’s been rewarding to see Rene’s development over the past year and a half, and they are looking forward to seeing him take this next step."

Career growth happens one project at a time. This one is an exciting chapter for Rene.

Free breast screening is happening in Waipukurau! We invite you to look for the mobile clinic at Central Hawke's Bay Hea...
09/05/2026

Free breast screening is happening in Waipukurau!

We invite you to look for the mobile clinic at Central Hawke's Bay Health, 1 Cook Street.

This important service will be available until Friday 22 May 2026.

It’s free for eligible women. Please visit timetobreastscreen.nz for more information, or feel free to call Freephone 0800 270 200. Your health matters, and we're here to support you!

The tiny clip clop of hooves is bringing joy to patients on our children’s ward when we are visited by Moxy. Moxy, a wel...
06/05/2026

The tiny clip clop of hooves is bringing joy to patients on our children’s ward when we are visited by Moxy.

Moxy, a wellbeing pony from Hawke’s Bay, visited recently with his owner Alysha Macaulay Celebrant - Alysha Jayne . Short in stature and big in personality, Moxy quickly changes the feel of a room.

“It happens every single time,” says Ellie Robertson, Team Leader, Hospital Play Specialist. “There hasn’t been a child on the ward who doesn’t want to participate. That speaks for itself.”

For some children, especially those feeling anxious, the difference is clear. They engage more, settle more easily, and care becomes easier to deliver.

Children leave smiling and talking about how much fun it was. It shifts the mood of the ward and makes treatment easier to get through, shaping how they feel about coming back.

One parent shared that their daughter, who had been anxious about allergy injections, was smiling after spending time with Moxy.

There’s good reason for that response. Horses are known to have a calming effect. Time spent with them can help lower stress and support people to settle in the moment. In a hospital setting, that can make a real difference.

We’re pleased to have Moxy as part of the wider support around care in our hospital.

Image: Moxy delivering up smiles for Tawhiti Walker, as Dad, Erekana Walker keeps a hand on the reins.

💙 International Midwives Day 💙Yesterday we celebrated International Midwives Day with a pop-up health promotion event in...
06/05/2026

💙 International Midwives Day 💙

Yesterday we celebrated International Midwives Day with a pop-up health promotion event in the hospital main entrance. Midwives and National Public Health Service (NPHS) colleagues worked together to share key messages on immunisations, safe sleep for pēpi, maternal mental health and smoking cessation.

It was a great reminder of how strong relationships between services help support whānau, and strengthen community care every day. Thank you to our amazing midwives and partners 💐

We are going vertical ⬆️It might not look like much just yet, but these photos capture a big moment. The first part of o...
05/05/2026

We are going vertical ⬆️

It might not look like much just yet, but these photos capture a big moment. The first part of our new modular inpatient unit is starting to rise up from the foundations, and it is a great step forward. What you can see here is the beginning of the plant room, which is essentially the “engine room” of the building. It houses all the behind the scenes systems like heating, cooling, ventilation and essential services that keep the hospital ward running safely and comfortably for patients and staff.

This build is part of something bigger too. It is the first of five modular hospital units that will be used across the country to boost capacity while longer term redevelopment work continues. In short, it is about getting more care spaces up and running sooner.

We recognise the temporary loss of staff parking is disruptive. This location has been carefully chosen so the unit can connect into the hospital and support future redevelopment work. As part of the wider plan for the hospital, parking will be addressed over the longer term.

When it opens later this year, the new 28 bed unit will support short stay surgical care and help improve patient flow right across the hospital. That means easing pressure on our wards and emergency department, and helping people get the care they need sooner.

One of the clever things about modular builds is speed. The above ground modules are being constructed off site at the same time as work happens on site, helping bring everything together faster. Just as importantly, these buildings are built to the same clinical and safety standards as permanent hospital facilities, and can be relocated in future to support further redevelopment.

It is one piece of a much bigger plan, but an important one. 🧩

We will keep sharing updates as it comes together. 👀

Call us after hours for rural health care - 0800 252 672.
04/05/2026

Call us after hours for rural health care - 0800 252 672.

Address

398 Omahu Road
Hastings
4120

Telephone

+6468788109

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