The Total Healthcare Wellness Support Team this week won the Best mental health programme award at the prestigious 2021 New Zealand Primary Healthcare Awards — He Tohu Mauri Ora.
The award, sponsored by Habit Group and announced at a black-tie gala event at the Cordis on Saturday night, recognises the achievements of a community-based mental health programme that has made a significant positive impact on the lives of people with experiences of mental unwellness.
“Once again it was hats off to innovative and more importantly, replicable, approaches to mental wellbeing,” Total Healthcare CEO Mark Vella says.
The programme that the Wellness Support Team (WST) runs is an innovative, PHO-seed funded initiative carried out by Total Healthcare’s provider network, Tāmaki Health. It offers funded wellbeing services to Local Doctors patients ranging from psychiatry assessments and medication reviews to mindfulness support groups, health coaching and one-on-one counselling sessions.
“We have long known that good mental and physical health go hand in hand, but that accessing mental health services can be challenging - particularly for our high needs Māori and Pasifika population,” Mr Vella says.
“By providing a range of expert mental health services alongside medical care in our Local Doctors clinics, most of which are located in communities with high levels of deprivation, we are improving access, equity and, ultimately, health outcomes for our patients.”
Consultant psychiatrist and WST lead Dr David Codyre says he is incredibly proud of his team and grateful for the leadership and support of both Total Healthcare and Tāmaki Health.
“Innovation does not happen by accident, and we are privileged to work for an organisation that has supported us in constantly testing and implementing better ways of working. This award is a testament to the hard work, fantastic care, and great outcomes for patients that all 65 members of the Wellness Support Team deliver every day for the patient population we serve.”
For more information on the Wellness Support Team services, visit www.localdoctors.co.nz/services/mental-wellness
