On the road again
In the summer of 1980 in America, country music singer, Willie Nelson hit the airwaves with his top-tapping song - On the Road Again, becoming one of his most recognised songs. The song about life on the road struck a chord with country music fan and truck driver,...
My story – Jeremy Chua: “Skills and experience I am unlikely to find anywhere else.”
When we posed the question “Would you encourage other students to work on the mobile surgical unit?” to Jeremy Chua, a sixth-year medical student at the University of Otago in Dunedin, he reacted with, “Absolutely! It’s an unparalleled experience that you will likely...
Caring for our environment
There are many issues facing our environment, so this year we have contributed to the sponsorship of planting approximately 1500 - 1600 plants in the Cranford Basin Reserve in Christchurch. Trees for Canterbury supplied the plants made up of Kahikatea, cabbage trees,...
Stellar success – 33,000 visitors through the Health Hub
After two years since the last Fieldays event, reconnecting was better than ever at the Health and Wellbeing Hub. This year the health hub at Fieldays in Hamilton was located at a permanent building and had more than 33,000 visitors through the doors, up from 25,000...
Healthy, happy and home
Having seen the big blue Mobile Surgical Unit - Te Waka Hauora on the road just one year earlier on one of its regular five-week circuits of rural New Zealand, David Mitchell did not anticipate he would one day be having surgery on it. But last year, he swapped the...
Why I chose medicine – Tim Colson’s story
Rarely do high school students know what they want to do when they grow up, but when Tim Colson spent time aboard the Mobile Surgical Unit – Te Waka Hauora back in 2014 while in school, the seed was already planted that his future was going to be in medicine. Tim...
Founder Stuart Gowland recognised for honours
You may have spotted the big blue mobile surgical unit as it travels up and down the country, but you may not know the concept for sharing mobile came from a visionary man, Stuart Gowland, who will become a companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his...
Celebrating 15 years of Continuous Professional Development
Rewind to 2005, Mobile Health started the Continuous Professional Development programme – a range of education sessions designed to upskill and support health professionals living and working in rural New Zealand. The topic of the first ever study session was on… wait...
Training onboard the mobile surgical unit an unforgettable experience
(Pictured above: Rachel Matthews assisting the dentist on the mobile surgical unit) Rachel Matthews is a medical student studying in Timaru and worked on the Mobile Surgical Unit - Te Waka Hauora as part of her Trainee Intern Elective for her final year of medical...
A Better Future For Rural Health
A recording of the webinar is now available to watch here To help members and rural stakeholders inform their vote, spokespeople from the four biggest political parties took part in the Rural Health Political Panel Webinar, convened by the Rural General...
2020 Mobile Health Annual Report released
Mobile Health has released its 2020 Annual Report for the year ended 30th June 2020. Mark Eager, Mobile Health Chief Executive says "We are delighted to have treated a further 1,443 patients this year on the Mobile Surgical Unit. Last August the team reached its...
Dunstan patient happy and healthy
(Back row left to right) Doctor Nathan Kershaw, anaesthetist; Jill Hansen, Dunstan Hospital nurse; Karenza Heath, clinical nurse leader, Mobile Health; and Chris Heath, anaesthetic technician, Mobile Health (Front row, middle) Ella Jones. The Mobile Surgical Unit -...
End of Life Choice
Recorded webinar now available to watch In September New Zealanders will vote on whether the End of Life Choice (EOLC) Act should come into force in a binding referendum. If more than 50% of voters choose YES, this will mean some significant changes occur in...
Back on the road after Covid-19 lockdown
Surgery resumes: The mobile surgical unit recommenced operating on Monday 4th May 2020 following the COVID Level-4 lock-down. To minimise any risk associated with regional travel, the unit initially operated at the Rangiora Health Hub for two weeks moving to Motueka...
Seven Sharp’s Michael Holland visits the surgical unit in Clyde
Watch the Mobile Surgical Unit - Te Waka Hauora on Seven Sharp Seven Sharp reporter Michael Holland recently joined the team on the mobile surgical unit while it was operating at Dunstan Hospital in Clyde. The visit co-incided with a milestone for the team as they...

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