Health NZ - Waikato

Health NZ - Waikato The official communications channel of Te Whatu Ora in the Waikato

Health New Zealand - Waikato employs more than 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 400,820 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.

26/05/2026

Sometimes, just getting outside for a walk and getting some fresh air and sunlight can really help boost your mood. But if you’ve been going through a rough patch and simple things aren't working, remember there are also free mental wellbeing support options available right now.

You are not alone. Visit https://linktr.ee/healthnewzealand to find support.

25/05/2026

Yay! 🎉 That’s 1 million people protected from influenza this season so far. Are you one of them?

We might be better at immunising than making videos…

You can get your flu vaccine at your GP, Hauora Māori or Pacific health provider, pharmacy or via bookmyvaccine.nz. It’s not too late, and now’s a good time to check your whole family is up to date with all their immunisations just ahead of winter.

“I had this mate and I used to pretty much idolise him. I thought, oh man, if I had his life, everything would be sweet ...
24/05/2026

“I had this mate and I used to pretty much idolise him. I thought, oh man, if I had his life, everything would be sweet and he just looked at me and said, bro, what are you doing?...

It was the first time I’d ever been called out on my behaviour and drinking. I remember getting up from the table and we’d been drinking all day and evening, but I was stone-cold sober. He saved my life.

Alcoholism is a disease and I used to think that our AA co-founders made that up just to make me feel good about myself, but it’s legit.

Alcoholism wants to isolate and keep you behind the lounge curtains drinking by yourself.

The mind will say, oh no, I don’t need to go to AA, I don’t need those people. I got it, I don’t have to do the steps and all that sort of stuff. I’ve just kept going back, just don’t drink and go to meetings.

At the end of my drinking I was home by myself, thinking I was good for nothing, good for nobody.

Now I have a wonderful group of friends that I can share experiences with. We do heaps of stuff because I couldn’t see the point of getting sober and being miserable.

When I was drinking I’d walk down the main street and pretend I didn’t see you and cross over. Now, through cleaning up my past, I’m free to walk the main street and walk tall. I’ve got my dignity back. That’s been the biggest gift”.

- AA member

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Struggling with alcohol or drugs can feel overwhelming but help is out there 💙

Free support is available across the country, from local community services and one on one support to peer groups like AA.

Need to talk now? The Alcohol and Drug Helpline is available 24/7:

📞 0800 787 797 | 💬 text 8681

Find more support options: healthnz.govt.nz/alcohol-and-drug-services

22/05/2026

Our crew love meeting people, they'd just rather it not be in their helicopter 🙌🚁

A new cyanobacteria health warning is now in place for Lake Rotoroa (Hamilton Lake). Cyanobacteria can cause health issu...
21/05/2026

A new cyanobacteria health warning is now in place for Lake Rotoroa (Hamilton Lake). Cyanobacteria can cause health issues such as skin rashes and breathing problems. If you or your whānau come into contact with affected water, please shower and change clothes as soon as possible.

A gentle reminder for dog owners: cyanobacteria is especially dangerous for dogs, so please keep them well away from any affected lakes 🐶 In the Waikato, health warnings are also in place for Lakes Waahi, and Waikare.

21/05/2026

Ever wondered how our teams train for real emergencies in the air?

Wellington Regional Hospital (Health NZ – Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley) is home to a little-known gem: a flight simulator modelled on a real air ambulance aircraft. The simulator and its equipment allow health professionals, including doctors, nurses and midwives, to sharpen their skills and strengthen patient safety during transfers. It is used by teams from across New Zealand to practise responding to high-stakes situations where lives are on the line.

This training was made possible thanks to the incredible support of the Wellington Hospitals Foundation, their generous donors, and their Founding Chair at the time, Bill Day. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to helping our teams deliver the best care possible. Their support has an impact not only in the Wellington region but nationwide, as health professionals from all over New Zealand benefit from this simulator.

"A sterile tool saves lives, but a contaminated one can be lethal. What we do goes far beyond just cleaning. We are the ...
20/05/2026

"A sterile tool saves lives, but a contaminated one can be lethal. What we do goes far beyond just cleaning. We are the shield between the patient and deadly microscopic threats. If bugs get through, a surgery can fail before the doctor even picks up a scalpel.

Most people think the fight for a patient’s life starts in the operating theatre. They see the surgeons and the bright lights, but they don’t know of the hidden battle sterilisation teams face.

Every day we’re up against microorganisms that are far more intelligent than people realise. They evolve to build ‘biofilms’ which are like microscopic armour designed to survive heat and chemicals. To beat them, we play with the laws of physics. We use specialised chemistry to strip the water of its ability to form a droplet.

In our world, a single microscopic bead of moisture is a luxury hotel where a super bug can hide and multiply.
The job sounds clinical, but it’s a moral mission too. My own face is held together by titanium plates from a massive accident, so I know what it is like to be at the mercy of surgical instruments. I don’t just see metal tools. I see the responsibility of protection.

That’s why I often ask my team if they would let a surgeon use the tool they are sterilising on their own family. If the answer is no, it goes back. We do not just clean instruments. We protect families.

You definitely learn that the tiniest things can lead to the biggest tragedies. We keep our eyes on the small stuff so surgeons can focus on what they do best and patients can get back to their families. If our names are never mentioned and our faces are never seen, it means we are doing our jobs right. I guess we have that in common with the bugs… You probably haven’t seen or heard of us either! Haha."

Anthony, Central Sterile Sciences Manager

Waikato Hospital is expanding its capacity to support some of the region’s most vulnerable patients, with 10 new forensi...
20/05/2026

Waikato Hospital is expanding its capacity to support some of the region’s most vulnerable patients, with 10 new forensic mental health inpatient beds now open. This investment strengthens specialist care and helps ensure people get the right support, at the right time, in the right place.

📷 Hon. Matt Doocey, Minister for Mental Health and Associate Minister of Health, at a ribbon cutting ceremony to open 10 new forensic beds at Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre.

Read more, link in caption 👇

Te Kūiti Hospital's new cancer infusion treatment service is now open, marking an important step in bringing care closer...
19/05/2026

Te Kūiti Hospital's new cancer infusion treatment service is now open, marking an important step in bringing care closer to home for local people. The new service will offer simple chemotherapy and other low-risk infusions, helping reduce the need for patients to travel to Waikato Hospital during an already challenging time.

The service will start small, with one clinic day per week and 1–2 patients per session, while staff capability and local processes continue to develop.

Over time, Te Kūiti Hospital will continue building its infusion capability to meet local demand, with patient safety, quality care, and positive experiences for patients and whānau guiding the service as it grows 🌼

Who else loves a foggy Hamilton morning? 🍂Waikato Hospital seen from above, as captured by Health NZ staff member Maria ...
18/05/2026

Who else loves a foggy Hamilton morning? 🍂

Waikato Hospital seen from above, as captured by Health NZ staff member Maria Panzo 📷

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Pembroke Street
Hamilton
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