Health NZ – Hawke’s Bay

11/06/2026

Weekly Childhood Immunisation Drop-in Clinic
🗓️Every Friday | 2pm–6pm
📍208 Avenue Road East, Hastings
A safe, welcoming space for children (tamariki) and family (whānau) 💛
No appointment needed — just drop in!
All childhood immunisations are free on the national schedule, including:
✅MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
✅Whooping cough (pertussis)
✅Chickenpox (free at 15 months)
✅Pregnancy immunisations
Not sure if your child is due? We can check!
🧒Child-friendly environment, pregnant māmā welcome.
🧡Ask questions, kōrero with our friendly team.

🔗Learn more about childhood immunisations here: www.healthnz.govt.nz/health-topics/immunisations/national-immunisation-schedule

09/06/2026

Help protect your community - Let’s work together to stop illegal smoking and va**ng activity.

If you see or suspect illegal to***co sales, report it. Visit: http://healthnz.govt.nz/TellUs 👇

05/06/2026

Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats are back for 2026! And the Hawke’s Bay Final is coming up on 13 June!

Through music, creativity and performance, Smokefreerockquest encourages young people to protect their breath, strengthen their wellbeing and perform at their best. Health New Zealand is proud to continue its 36-year sponsorship of this event, backing young talent across New Zealand.
For more information: https://www.smokefree.org.nz/our-community/schools/smokefreerockquest-and-smokefree-tangata-beats

For regional event times, dates and locations: https://www.rqp.co.nz/rockquest/dates-tickets

Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats aim to inspire young musicians to see where they can go with their music careers and encourage their peers to support original music made in Aotearoa. The competitions give young musicians opportunities to showcase their talents live in their regions an...

19/05/2026

Find the right care for you and your whānau and keep emergency departments for emergencies only:

✅ Online GP Care (24/7) - Book same-day appointments with NZ-qualified doctors if you’re not enrolled or can’t wait. Book via info.health.nz/onlineGP.
💊 Pharmacy - Great for coughs, colds, minor infections, emergency contraception, immunisations and more.
🏠 Self-care advice - Visit info.health.nz for trusted tips on managing symptoms at home.
📞 Healthline - Free 24/7 advice from qualified nurses and paramedics: 0800 611 116.
👩‍⚕️ Your usual GP or nurse - Many offer same-day appointments for urgent issues.
🌙 After-hours or urgent care clinic - For non-life-threatening issues like cuts, sprains or minor injuries.
📞 Ka Ora - Rural Telecare. After-hours help from a doctor or nurse: 0800 252 672.
🚨 Emergency? Call 111 - For chest pain, breathing problems, choking, unconsciousness, severe bleeding, severe allergy/anaphylaxis, severe burns, or severe pain.

17/05/2026

For the next few weeks, our Hawke’s Bay digital team has an extra pair of hands on deck, with Luke Kitchin joining the Deskside Team through to 30 June.

Luke is stepping in to work alongside the local team as they tackle a backlog of deskside requests. For our staff across the hospital, that means quicker support for the everyday digital tools they rely on to care for patients and keep services running smoothly.

Deskside teams are often the quiet problem-solvers of the health system. From troubleshooting computers and devices to helping staff reconnect to the systems they need, their work helps keep wards, clinics and offices moving. When demand builds up, it can take time to work through every request.

Having Luke join the team for a focussed period gives the service a welcome boost.

Working shoulder to shoulder with the Hawke’s Bay team, Luke will be helping resolve outstanding tickets and getting equipment, systems and staff back up and running as quickly as possible. It’s practical work that makes a real difference to the day-to-day experience of staff across our hospital.

Kerry Jones, Team Lead Deskside Support for Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora MidCentral, Hawke's Bay and Whanganui said, "The extra support also reflects the strength of regional collaboration, with teams stepping in where they are needed most."

For Luke, it’s a chance to contribute directly to improving the flow of work for both the digital team and the wider hospital community. For Hawke’s Bay staff, it means support arriving just when it’s needed.

The deskside team is looking forward to having Luke alongside them for the month and appreciates the support he brings as they work through the backlog together.

14/05/2026

Big progress is happening on site next week.

The first inpatient unit modules are arriving soon, travelling 415 km from Auckland to Hastings in carefully staged overnight deliveries.

Delivery dates to be aware of:

Early Monday 18 May | modules 1-4
Early Wednesday 20 May | modules 5-8
Remaining modules arrive early June

Deliveries will happen overnight to reduce disruption, but there will be temporary traffic stoppages and restricted access on Canning Road, along with increased truck and crane activity.

Ambulances and emergency vehicles will have full access at all times, and access will also be maintained for people arriving in labour.

In total, 14 modules will form a new facility that expands hospital inpatient capacity.

This modular inpatient unit will provide more beds sooner, helping staff care for patients and improving flow through the hospital while wider redevelopment continues.

A positive step forward for Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldier’s Memorial Hospital.

14/05/2026

💙Celebrating our nurses – thank you, Rapid Response Team (RRT)! 💙

As part of International Nurses Day, celebrated on 12 May, our Hawke’s Bay Hospital nurses and teams are being treated today to a fantastic BBQ lunch from the Rapid Response Team (RRT) – complete with tasty burgers and cake. It’s a generous and thoughtful way to recognise the dedication, skill and compassion our nurses bring to their mahi every single day.

International Nurses Day is a chance to pause and acknowledge the vital role nurses play in caring for our patients, whānau and communities – often in challenging circumstances and always with professionalism, kindness and heart. Gestures like this help us say thank you to the people who give so much of themselves in the service of others.

The Rapid Response Team does incredible work supporting people and whānau across our communities, often stepping in when help is needed most and connecting people with the right support. We’re grateful for their ongoing mahi and for taking the time to help us celebrate our nurses in such a meaningful way.
Ngā mihi nui, RRT – and a very happy International Nurses Day to all our amazing nurses 🌼

👉 Find out more about the Rapid Response Team and their community work here: Rapid Relief Team NZ

11/05/2026

Long after visiting hours end, when business hours are over, our nurses are still here.

Walking softly through dim hallways, checking on patients, responding to emergencies, our nurses are helping people through difficult nights, often without fanfare or recognition.

This International Nurses Day, we’re recognising the incredible contribution nurses make across every part of our health service, with a special acknowledgement to our night shift teams.

The work happening overnight in any hospital is often unseen by the wider community, but it matters deeply to the patients and whānau experiencing it in real time. Thank you for the steady hands, kind words, quick thinking, along with the compassionate care you bring to our community.

To all our nurses, we thank you for your skill, compassion, patience, humour, and resilience. Thank you for the mahi you do, both seen and unseen.

Hawke's Bay hospital and our communities are stronger because of you.