Improving access to healthcare is not always about providing more services. Sometimes it is about delivering care in a way that better fits around people’s lives.
A recent visit to Featherston highlighted how bringing services together can reduce travel, save time and simplify the healthcare journey for rural patients and whānau.
For one young Wairarapa patient, a visit to the Mobile Surgical Unit for dental surgery became an opportunity to bring multiple aspects of their healthcare together in a single visit.
The child, who lives with a long-term health condition, also needed routine immunisations and tests as part of their ongoing care. Rather than asking the family to attend additional appointments, travel again, or take more time away from school and work, the Mobile Surgical team worked alongside local Health New Zealand staff to coordinate this care during the same visit.
By bringing several healthcare services together in one location and at one time, the team helped reduce additional travel, disruption and stress for both the patient and whānau.
While it may seem like a small gesture, it reflects a much bigger commitment. Across the country, the Mobile Surgical team regularly go beyond the immediate reason for a patient’s visit, working alongside local providers to ensure people receive the care they need in the most practical and supportive way possible.
For Kelly Ewen, Clinical Nurse Manager at Mobile Health Group, the story highlights what happens when healthcare providers work together with a shared focus on the patient.
Clinical Nurse Manager, Kelly Ewen. Photo by Bruce Gatward-Cook, Health NZ
“For Mobile Health Group, caring for patients has never been just about delivering a service. It is about understanding the realities of rural life, building relationships, and finding ways to make healthcare as accessible and seamless as possible.”
While the outcome made a significant difference for this family, Kelly says it reflects an approach the team takes every day across the country.
“If there is an opportunity to coordinate services and save a family another trip, we’ll do our best to make it happen. Being able to bring everything together in a single visit meant less stress, less travel and one less thing for whānau to worry about.”
She adds, “By working closely with local health providers and looking at the bigger picture, we can often make healthcare easier for patients and whānau to navigate. For rural communities, those small adjustments can have a lasting impact and make a meaningful difference.”
Anaesthetic Technician, Keeley Lawson onboard the Mobile Surgical Unit. Photo by Cherry-Anne Lee, Dannevirke Community Hospital
Want to know when the surgical bus will next be in your area? Visit: https://mobilehealth.co.nz/schedule/