On Thursday 6 May Te Puna Ora o Mataatua and the Immunisation Advisory Centre came together for a bespoke education session in preparation for the wider COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Whakatane.

As the first independent COVID-19 vaccination site outside of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board, Te Puna Ora o Mataatua wanted to ensure their workforce was well-prepared and after IMAC’s Māori Engagement Advisor Denise Tahuri reached out, a face-to-face course was co-designed with Te Puna Ora o Mataatua Practice Manager Kahlise Hata.

IMAC COVID-19 Education Facilitator Lisa Sillars delivered the session attended by nurses and administration staff from Te Puna Ora o Mataatua, tailored to the duties they will be responsible for. Working together, administration staff will be booking in iwi for their vaccination appointments and managing the COVID-19 Immunisation Register while nurses will be managing the cold chain management of the vaccine, vaccination and observation of iwi.

Te Puna Ora o Mataatua Administration Lead Lyndell Tuhaka said: “It was really helpful and we learnt a lot. At the end of the day our team felt confident they had enough information to provide excellent care for our whānau.”

Lisa said “The team at Te Puna Ora o Mataatua engaged really well with the programme, finding value in being able to have their questions answered straight away. It was great to see the value gained in face-to-face education where we can instil confidence in our workforce through providing a positive and supportive environment.”

The vaccination centre is open this week, and Denise Tahuri was among the first to attend to receive her first dose of the vaccine (pictured): “It was great to get my vaccine in my hometown with the team at Te Puna Ora o Mataatua.”

Te Puna Ora o Mataatua provides a broad range of integrated health and well-being services using a kaupapa Māori framework across Mataatua, from Matatā to Cape Runaway and inland from Kawerau to Waimana. Find out more about their role in the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

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