Interested in being a part of our consumer network?

We have a mission to work with the people of our community to promote, encourage and enable their health, well-being and independence. To achieve this, we recognise that individuals, families, whānau and communities need a voice in the system. We know that engaging with you as our health consumers provides many benefits for not only our community but healthcare workers and providers.

We would like you to be a part of this.

If you are interested in helping us grow our consumer network, please register using the link below.

Click here to fill out an expression of interest form

Current Consumer Opportunities

National palliative care steering group calling for Expressions of Interest: Models of care -paediatric working group

Our national palliative care steering group are excited to announce that Expression of Interest applications are now open for our first working group: models of care – paediatric.

This working group will develop a national model of care for paediatric palliative care in Aotearoa, and provide recommendations to the steering group for this model to be successfully implemented.

If you’re passionate about improving palliative and end-of-life services for tamariki (children) and rangatahi (adolescents & young adults), are keen to work collaboratively and have capacity to be involved in this national work – we’d love to hear from you!

We’re looking for those with experience of:

Primary, and/or specialist paediatric palliative care services
People with experience of receiving paediatric palliative care services and their whānau
Maternal and neonatal services (with a focus on paediatric palliative care)
Wellbeing for Māori and Pacific tamariki (children) and rangatahi (adolescents & young adults) and their whānau
Child health service policy, planning and funding
Improving access to paediatric palliative services (patients and whānau)
Paediatric palliative care research and education
Leadership in transition from paediatric to adult services.

For further information please see the Expression of Interest application form and draft Terms of Reference. Applications for the models of care – paediatric working group close 29 September 2023.

To join our stakeholder list and receive updates on our palliative care work programme (including future Expressions of Interest for the working groups), email your contact details to [email protected]

For further information about the national palliative care steering group and work programme, visit our website National Palliative Care Work Programme – Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand

Models of care - paediatric working group

Te Whatu Ora Stakeholder Hui

We hold regular virtual hui for our sector and service provider stakeholders. Watch this space for our next Stakeholder hui.

Next Stakeholder Hui: Building the Future of Health

Thursday 7 September 2023, 12.00pm - 12.45pm

We are delighted to invite you to our next stakeholder virtual hui with Chief Executives of Te Whatu Ora, Margie Apa and Te Aka Whai Ora, Riana Manuel.

We will give updates on Te Mauri o Rongo | the New Zealand Health Charter and next steps that are relevant to you.

Our digital services teams from Te Whatu Ora and Te Aka Whai Ora, will discuss the digital improvements, based on the system shift where digital services will provide more people with the care they need in their homes and communities.

Nick Chamberlain, National Director, National Public Health Service will discuss immunisation updates.

We welcome your questions and feedback. You'll have the opportunity to post questions via the event link and there will be a focused question and answer session in the second half of the hui.

We hope you can join us, but if you can’t, we will share a recording of this and all previous hui and questions on the stakeholder pages of the Te Whatu Ora and Te Aka Whai Ora websites.

Please share this invitation with anyone in your community that maybe interested in attending.

Click here to join this Hui

Click here to watch previous hui

Surveys Open to Give Feedback

Mārama Survey:

Give feedback on Mental Health
& Addictions services

Mārama is a Nationwide online survey that allows consumers and whānau to give anonymous feedback on our Mental Health & Addictions services

Click here to learn more and complete the survey(s)

Our Consumer Council

The Consumer Council provide a strong voice and allows the community to participate in key decision-making on health service and delivery. The Consumer Council’s aim is to enhance consumer experience and service integration across the sector, promote equity and ensure services are organised and provided to meet the needs of all consumers now and in the future.

Our goal is to build on our current feedback mechanisms and move on from listening to the voices of patients, carers and the public (our consumers) to partnership, collaboration and responsiveness with them. Success will be for every part of our health system to be shaped and improved by involving those who use and care about our services.

The next step in our journey towards collaboration and partnership is to provide the public with a stronger voice in key decision-making.

We established our Consumer Council in 2015, the council now consists of nine people across the Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough regions. We created the opportunity and selected people who are experts by experience with diverse backgrounds, contacts, knowledge, skills, geography and broad demographic groups to provide the Board and management with a wide-ranging consumer view.

Click here to view the Consumer Council's Terms of Reference, Chair's Reports and Annual Reports

Angelea Stanton - Chair

Click here to learn more about Angelea

I am a qualified Diversional Therapist born and bred in Marlborough. I have worked in aged care for most of my career and currently am the Quality Manager of Ashwood Park, an aged residential home in Blenheim. I have recently completed a qualification in Business Leadership and Management. My husband and I own a mechanical workshop in Blenheim, and we have two daughters aged 21 and 16 to keep life busy.

I have a broad interest in health, particularly older person’s health, women’s health, and long-term conditions. I joined the Consumer Council in 2017 as one of two Marlborough representatives taking on the Chair position in 2021. The Council has moved through its development phase and is now pushing forward to voice and canvas the opinions and needs of our communities. The Council membership has been extended this year and now has excellent representation across our diverse Nelson Marlborough community. I am involved with the National Chairs Group for Te Whatu Ora which allows me to have a voice for our region at this level. I am proud to be part of the drive to empower Consumers and have been pleased to see the real desire from the system to engage, listen and develop with the Consumer voice at the centre.

Alene Sherson

Click here to learn more about Alene

Tēnā koutou, ko Alene tōku ingoa. Ko Kāi Tahu ko Pākehā ahau, nō Tāmaki Makaurau me Taitoko i tīpu ake ahau, ināianei e noho ana māua ko tāku tāne ki Mōhua.

This is my second term on the Health Consumer Council as a representative for Golden Bay. It is an interesting time to be in this role, and I am pleased to continue advocating for access and improving patient-centred care in our health system while also acknowledging the challenging work of Healthcare Professionals. It is a privilege to participate in wide-ranging hauora/health discussions and add voice to multiple consumer perspectives.

Currently, I work as a Support Worker/Coach in the Mental Health sector but come from an education Speech-Language Therapy and Specialist Teaching (vision and hearing) background. Through my personal and professional experiences with health services, I have broad interests in Disability Support, Long-term Conditions, Women’s and Children’s Health, Māori Health and Mental Health.

E kī ana te whakataukī: He hauora te taonga - health is wealth.

Noho ora mai – stay well!

Bernard Enoka

Click here to learn more about Bernard

I am a resident of Motueka and have been part of the community for 40 years. My background is in Education where I have assumed management and administrative roles with particular emphasis on Health, Physical Education and Sports. Part of my working career was spent working in International Organisations abroad which provided some insight into how health andeducation systems in other countries operate. These involvements and my participation in a range of sports and other activities have enabled me to work with a diverse range of individuals and community organisations. I continue to be involved in community activities as a volunteer.

I have a broad interest in all areas of health, particularly youth health, preventative health and mental health and I look forward to working toward providing equitable access to service delivery and ensuring consumers are empowered to make informed choices about their health.

To be given this opportunity to represent local health consumers, by working collaboratively with Nelson Marlborough’s governance and management teams to develop an effective health system that meets the needs of our communities, is a challenge I embrace.

Brenda Chilvers

Click here to learn more about Brenda

I am of Te Aupouri and Te whanau A Apanui Maori descent l am proud of my heritage. I have worked in Health for more than 20 years both locally and nationally. I currently work for Te Piki Oranga as a Smoking Cessation practitioner l have worked in smoke-free for more 20 years first as a SF health promoter for Te Hauora O Ngati Rarua (Blenheim) then at NMDHB and now at the National Heart Foundation as a Smoking cessation facilitator and travel around NZ delivering training sessions to health professionals on how to support people to quit smoking.

I have a particular interest in the fair distribution of health services. My motivation comes from the people I support and the people I have worked with who share the same passion and dedication. After a 20-year investment, I remain committed to a Smokefree Aotearoa. I knew when I signed up for this work that it would take time to achieve such a worthy goal and I like the idea of being part of something that will impact the health of generations to come.

Esmé Palliser

Click here to learn more about Esmé

My background has always seen me working with people & communities whether it be as a volunteer or through a long career in our region, primarily in education and health.

Living well and improving consumers' health experiences are important to me. I strongly support consumer engagement to ensure the ongoing development of services, especially in light of the pending health reforms & as our region diversifies and grows. This I believe can only be achieved if consumers are ‘at the table’ to address equitable access to service delivery, improve communication, and ultimately ensure consumers are empowered to make informed choices about their, and their families, health.

Geoff Ormandy - Deputy Chair

Click here to learn more about Geoff

I have lived in both the Marlborough and Nelson regions for the past 15 years and continue to thoroughly enjoy residing in the area with its abundance of lifestyle options. During my time in Nelson, I have been self-employed as an education and business advisor. I also enjoy my involvement as a mentor for Business Mentors NZ. As a result of these involvements and my participation in a range of outdoor activities, I have met and worked with a diverse range of individuals and community organisations. Prior to my current involvements, I consider myself very fortunate to have been appointed to a range of management, executive and governance appointments at all levels of the education sector.

While my initial involvement with the Consumer Council proved to be a steep learning curve, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough staff and consumers as a member of several committees and forums. I continue to be impressed by the professionalism and commitment of the staff and their increasing preparedness to consider the consumers’ perspective when reviewing and developing procedures and practices. There is, however, room for increasingly meaningful and effective consumer engagement in health decision-making processes. I am looking forward to continuing to work to ensure that the processes for improving health practices have consumers at the core.

Marie Lindaya

Click here to learn more about Marie

After 5 years working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), I came to NZ in 1990 to settle; and have worked with the public and private sectors – Department of Internal Affairs, ACC, Nelson City Council where I professionally learned governance matters, being the Mayor’s PA for 15 years.

In 1992 whilst with Internal Affairs, organised the first meeting of Nelson Multi-Ethnic Council, which has now evolved to Multicultural Nelson Tasman, 27 years on. Between work and life is my community volunteering which grounds me to grass root community issues and allows me to build relations and help individuals and groups of diverse cultures, ages and gender. I joined the then Nelson Volunteer Centre in 2009.

My experience of health services has been generally positive. This is not the same for some locals, particularly for the ethnic migrants and former refugee communities that I have advocated for and supported for the past 30 years since settling in New Zealand. I will add voice and experience from a culturally diverse perspective and insight, and hopefully, improve the service and support our communities better.

I am interested in all aspects of health and well-being, particularly mental health for both youth and adults.

Nathan Hanson

Click here to learn more about Nathan

I am the coordinator at Citizens Advice Bureau Marlborough am on the board of Volunteer Marlborough and Area Co-ordinator for Top of the South Neighbourhood Support. I am studying towards a Bachelor of Arts focussing on International Relations and Politics degree through Massey University.

In my spare time, I volunteer for Youthline Wairau while being the volunteer coordinator for Youthline Central South Island.

Nikita Takai

Click here to learn more about Nikita

Mālō e tau lava,

Ko hoku hingoá ko Nikita Takai

After being in Te Whanganui-a-tara for over a decade, I moved back to my hometown with my fāmili. I have a background working in the health sector for the Medical Council of New Zealand in the areas of competence, conduct and invigilating exams for international medical graduates. I also have governance experience working as a volunteer board member for not-for-profit organisations and I currently work in the Māori community.

Outside of work, I enjoy being an active member of my Tongan Community as well as the wider Pasifika Community here in Whakatū. My driver for being a part of the Health Consumer Council is to improve health outcomes for consumers. I am passionate about providing a voice for our Pasifika communities where there is work to be done in bridging health inequities. I want to ensure the co-design concept is proactively applied to all aspects of the health system from the strategic direction at the governance level to individual care plans between consumers and health professionals. I want to see that everyone’s access to good healthcare is fair and equal.

If you'd like to chat with any of our Consumer Council members, reach out by emailing [email protected]

Maternity Quality Safety Programme Advocates

The maternity service welcomes feedback/suggestions on ways to improve our service for our communities. We are delighted to welcome Kat and Edee to the team.

Katherine Gibbons

Marlborough

Click here to learn more about Katherine

My journey in the health field began in 2012 as a volunteer with the St John Ambulance Service. In 2014, I graduated from the NZ College of Massage with a Diploma of Clinical Massage.

My path for advocacy began here. It was furthered following the birth of my daughter in 2019 which resulted in life changing injury and chronic pain. My ensuing dealings with health professionals led me to think how difficult it must be for some to access treatments and realistically advocate for themselves.

As I navigated my own pathways towards recognition and rehabilitation of birth trauma and pelvic injuries I began helping others by setting up a support group, Pelvic Dysfunction Support NZ. I have also contributed to various petitions and submissions to Government in regards to pelvic health and improved rehabilitation for parents.

My own lived experience has led me to become truly passionate about ensuring that our parents and pēpē have a positive start to their journey. I believe that quality health care should be accessible to all and successful health care can only happen with genuine consumer engagement.

I am looking forward to representing our communities voice.

Edee Bolton

Nelson

Click here to learn more about Edee

I have been involved in the fitness industry for over 10 years. I originally studied at Otago University for a Bachelor of Physical Education. – Double Major in Exercise Prescription & Exercise Science. Over the years I have been a personal trainer, mentor for trainers and a workshop presenter. Women's health has always been an area of interest so it wasn't surprising that when returning to work between having my own little ones 90% of my time is now working with pre & postnatal exercise clients and helping educate trainers around NZ in this space.

I see the importance and benefits exercise has not just physically but mentally and emotionally and I volunteer my time with local walking groups to help parents move and connect with one another. I am excited about being the consumer rep as I already have many connections at the ground level within our community. Not only does the work I do already allow me to have conversations around experiences but also a safe space to share feedback and open discussions within groups. I am looking forward to assisting in this space more.

Volunteer with us

“No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted” – Aesop

Becoming a volunteer with us is a good way to meet new people, make great friendships and lend a helping hand in your community.

Our volunteers do not replace professional services but are there to enhance our patients' and visitors' comfort and well-being.

“Volunteers are not paid – not because they are worthless but because they are priceless”

Volunteer opportunities in 2023

We have a variety of roles available to you as a volunteer. While some roles are individual and meet a specific purpose, we also have several regular volunteer roles. Click the drop-down below to find out more:

Click here to see our volunteer opportunities

Shuttle Buggy Driver

We need drivers for our Shuttle Buggy at Nelson Hospital. If you are fit and healthy and enjoy assisting people, become part of the buggy team.

Library Assistant

Combine your love of books and visiting people as part of our library team. We are looking for friendly faces to help take a trolley of books and magazines to various wards for patients to borrow.

Information desk

A friendly face, a welcoming smile and a desire to help people are essential qualities for this role. Information desk volunteers assist our patients and visitors to find their way around Wairau Hospital.

Meals on Wheels

More than just a carrier of hot meals, Meals on Wheels drivers deliver independence to many elderly and disabled people and those recovering from illness or hospital treatment. But most importantly, the service provides much-needed regular social contact for the Meals on Wheels recipients.

St John Friends of the Emergency Department

Our Friends of the Emergency Department (FED) volunteers and Hospital Friends provide comfort and support to patients and their families in hospital emergency departments, as well as other wards and units. This volunteer service is co-ordinated by St John, you can contact them toll-free on 0800 780 780.

Companionship Role

Providing support and comfort to our patients and visitors is at the heart of this role. You need to be a real people person and enjoy spending time talking to people. This can be done in a variety of ways from reading newspapers to sharing information about what is happening in their local community to promoting what services are out there that patients can get involved in after leaving hospital care e.g. lunch clubs or exercise and fitness groups. It may be the local 'knit and natter' group or 'Menz Shed', even a Wellby Cafe.

Click here to email [email protected] with your volunteering interest

Compliments and complaints

Healthline

Ways to Contribute as a Consumer