BOP tops
From
quit
smoking
the Chair
rate in NZ
Sally Webb - Chair, Bay of Plenty District Health Board
In this edition of Health Matters, I want to
draw your attention to the focus on health
services to support you to stay well. The
articles on preventing Rheumatic Fever
(RF) and the region’s stop smoking service
Hāpainga, are extremely important reads
and highlight that there is so much we can
do for ourselves to stay healthy and keep our
families healthy, especially our children.
I remember many years ago when I was a
Public Health Nurse one of my least favourite
jobs was giving the children who had had
RF, their monthly penicillin injections. I’m
pretty sure I was the most unpopular visitor
to those homes when the injections were due.
Rheumatic fever starts with a sore throat that
is known as ‘strep throat’ - a throat infection
caused by a bacterial infection or bug called
Group A Streptococcus (GAS). If the ‘strep
throat’ is not treated with antibiotics it can
lead to RF. Today, free throat swabbing
services are available at many pharmacies and
schools across the region to detect GAS. One
simple throat swab can prevent your child
from developing RF and potential serious
heart problems. So next time your child has a
sore throat please, make the time to get them
checked.
This coming Thursday is World Smokefree
Day. I am sure you are aware that the
Government has a goal of Smokefree
Aotearoa 2025. An ambitious goals and one
that when achieved, will see many New
Zealanders living far healthier lives. I know
quitting isn’t easy, however we are very
fortunate here to have a great service with
Hāpainga and the reason it is having such a
good success rate is because it starts with the
underlying principle that quitting smoking is
an individual journey to wellness and they are
there to help you quit your way.
I am really keen to see smoking stop around
our babies and children. They are our future
and they deserve a healthy future. I think of
the late Dame Whina Cooper’s wise words:
“Take care of our children. Take care of what
they hear, take care of what they see, take care
of what they feel. For how the children grow,
so will be the shape of Aotearoa.”
“Immunisation is your best protection from
influenza, and the best defence in preventing
the spread of the illness to others,” says Dr
Phil Shoemack, Medical Officer of Health.
Free influenza immunisation is available for
people at risk of serious complications from
influenza including pregnant women (any
trimester), people with an ongoing medical
condition like asthma, diabetes, or a heart or
lung condition and people aged 65 years or
over.
“However, everyone should consider
vaccination,” says Dr Shoemack. “Even
someone who is fit and healthy can become
sick with influenza, and risks passing it to
family or friends. Your workplace may offer
a free or subsidised immunisation or contact
Flu Facts
1. Influenza isn’t just a bad cold – it can be
serious and can kill.
2. Around 1.2 million kiwis get influenza
immunisation yearly.
3. Immunisation prepares your immune
system to fight influenza.
4. You cannot get influenza from the
vaccine.
5. Influenza immunisation is FREE for
those most at risk.
of Plenty is the top performer across the
country with a 75% successful quit smoking
rate at 4 weeks.
New Zealand has 16 Stop Smoking Support
services. As part of the Government’s goal
of Smokefree Aotearoa 2025, each service
is required to record the number of clients
who are deemed to have successfully quit
smoking meaning they are ‘smokefree’ four
weeks after their set quit date. Lizzie Spence says the service has been in
the top spot for the last nine months.
Hāpainga Team Leader Lizzie Spence says
“Our smoking cessation practitioners use
a carbon monoxide detector, a bit like a
breathalyser at four weeks. Low to nil levels
of carbon monoxide shows the person is
smokefree.” Lizzie says, “The small team really focuses
on treating each client as an individual.
Quitting smoking is a real journey. Our team
might meet with a client several times before
they set a quit date. Building a rapport
and trust with them is quite crucial to the
successful outcome.”
Latest Ministry of Health results shows Bay
She says it is great news for the team of five
practitioners who support people to quit
smoking across the Western and Eastern Bay
of Plenty.
Think about what you can do to create healthy
futures for the children of the Bay of Plenty.
Kia kaha
Sally Webb
Get your flu jab to protect yourself,
your family and your community
Bay of Plenty residents are being urged to
get immunised to protect themselves from
influenza ‘the flu’, a viral infection that can
cause serious illness and is sometimes fatal.
The Bay of Plenty’s free Stop Smoking
Support service, Hāpainga remains top of the
country for its successful quit smoking rate.
your local medical centre or pharmacy
to book an appointment today,” says Dr
Shoemack.
Influenza, commonly called the flu, can be
a serious illness that is sometimes fatal.
Symptoms of influenza include a cough,
headache, fever or chills, body aches and
pains, fatigue, and generally feeling really
miserable. Influenza can be severe enough to
require hospital treatment.
Around one in four New Zealanders are
infected with influenza each year. Every year
approximately 400 deaths in New Zealand
are related to influenza infection.
Contact your local medical centre
or pharmacy to get the influenza
immunisation today. For more
information call 0800 IMMUNE
(0800 466 863) or visit www.fightflu.co.nz
BOPDHB Speciality
Clinical Nurse
Helen Taylor has had
her flu shot.
To date more than
65% of BOPDHB
workers have had a
flu shot this season.
Join the trend - quit
smoking for World
Smokefree Day
It’s World Smokefree Day next Thursday. To
celebrate, Hāpainga, the Bay of Plenty’s free
stop smoking support service is providing
those who sign up to quit in May and June
the chance to win a $250 voucher. Hāpainga staff will be outside in the
Esplanade Mall in Whakatāne and the
Papamoa Plaza ready to sign up those who
are ready to quit on World Smokefree Day,
31 May.
“World Smokefree Day on May 31 is
the perfec t time to choose the smokefree
lifestyle. We know
it’s not easy to stop
smoking, but with the
right support it can be
done,” says Hāpainga
Stop Smoking
Practitioner, Stevie-
Lee Hiroki. Throughout the year, Hāpainga provides $50
vouchers for all clients who successfully quit
New Zealand is
moving closer to
Smokefree Aotearoa
Stevie-Lee Hiroki, Lizzie Spence, Monique Rio and Walter Harawira
from Hāpainga.
2025. The most
recent tobacco-use
figures show 84% of New Zealanders do not
smoking. Women who successfully quit
smoke, which is 4% more than in 2008. And
smoking during pregnancy to six weeks after
fewer young people are starting to smoke
their baby is born also have the opportunity
with 96% of 15 to 17 year olds staying
to receive a $250 voucher through the
smokefree, which is a marked increase from
Hāpainga Hapū Māmā incentive programme.
84% a decade ago.