Recent News and Events

Major Sewer Upgrade
The Rising Main No 11 in the council's major sewer upgrade is being put across Linwood Avenue in March and April
Gold Crates
The Gold Crate campaign which has been run in Christchurch and Waimakariri District.
CDHB and Heart Foundation to Jointly Promote Health
The Canterbury District Health Board and the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand have agreed to work together to further promote initiatives that will improve health outcomes for people in Canterbury.

Sites Added

Bone Marrow Cancer Trust  
South Island charitable trust providing patient and family support with a focus on Bone Marrow Transplantation and associated cancer diseases.

ChaMunda Ayurveda Clinic
Clinic in Riccarton practising Ayurvedic medicine. Background information about treatments.

Mark Prosser Builders
Building firm - domestic and commercial projects. Site includes portfolio of work.

Parklands - Guardian Health Care
Licensed hospital providing general geriatric and psychogeriatric hospital care. Information on facilities and services.

What is a PHO?

Have you heard about PHOs? You may have been asked at your local doctors' surgery to enroll with a PHO.  A PHO is a  Primary  Health  Organisation. The Ministry of Health defines a PHO as  "a group of providers whose job it is to look after all the people enrolled with them. The group will always include a GP and may also include some or all of nurses, Maori providers, Pacific providers, pharmacists, dieticians, mental health workers, community health workers and dentists - often working in teams." The Ministry of Health has a questions and answers page which goes into more detail about PHOs.

Canterbury's first Primary Health Organisation (PHO) was launched on 1 of July 2003.
Known as the Canterbury Community Primary Health Organisation, it will be based in Christchurch. Te Amorangi Richmond and the Union and Community Health Centre are the two practices who will be offering subsidised General Practitioner and Practice Nurse services through the establishment of this PHO. Other existing health groups are supporting this PHO include:
* Family Planning Association                                     * PATHS
* Hepatitis C Resource Centre Te Waipounamu    * Plunket Canterbury
* New Zealand Aids Foundation                                 * Rodger Wright Centre (DSIC Trust)
* New Zealand Prostitutes Collective                        * Tangata Atumotu Trust
* Timeout Carers                                                           * Youth Health Trust
Utilising the Access formula, the Canterbury Community PHO will be able to maintain low fees, and the increased funding will enable more focus on diabetes management especially around encouraging patients to be tested, working with the Diabetes Centre and podiatry professionals, as well as raising community awareness about Diabetes. Promoting oral health will also be a priority.
The Canterbury Community PHO is a not-for-profit body, which has a strong belief in social justice, especially in the delivery of health care to those who need it most.

Articles in the media include:
Good health? 
"Been to the doctor lately? If so, you were probably asked to sign up as a member of a "PHO" - a primary health organisation. What exactly are PHOs, and what are the implications?"
Consumer magazine, 2004

Buried Treasures

Spotlight on some localeye resources ...  Alternative Health

The localeye category Atlernative Health list the websites of an interesting range of local alternative medicine practitioners. These range from Ayurvedic medicine, to Hellerwork, to naturopaths and Indian head massage.