M.I.A.
OPINION: The previous government spent too much during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite warnings from officials, according to a briefing released by the Treasury.
Local solutions using local people is the best way of ensuring people in rural areas are vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the chair of the Rural General Practitioners Network.
Dr Fiona Bolden says things such as big vaccination sites, which work well in large urban areas, don't work well in rural areas because they are often difficult for people to access. She says initially the Ministry of Health wasn't focusing on using GP's to deliver vaccines, but this has changed.
However, Bolden says the rural health workforce is comparatively small and needs to be supported with proper funding and staff. She says community trusts and iwi have done a fantastic job in ensuring that rural people - especially Maori - are vaccinated.
"We have seen lots of local solutions, because the one size doesn't fit all and that is certainly the case for the rural workforce," she told Rural News. "We know that we can't do mass vaccinations in rural areas like they do in urban areas."
Bolden says there are many essential workers in rural areas who are engaged in food production and other primary industries - such as forestry. She says in the case of the latter, these people are often forgotten, but with the way the roll-out is now configured, these people will be eligible to get vaccinated.
"Then there is the issue of how you get vaccinated if you are an essential rural worker," she adds. "For farmers it is quite difficult for them to leave their work and get vaccinated. That is why it is so important that we have local vaccination provision, with local providers using general practices, but supported by DHBs."
Bolden says the DHBs are meant to leading the roll out, but they are very reliant on local staff being available to do this and also local people doing the organisation to make it happen.
Bolden works in a practice in Whangamata in the Coromandel and says they recently had a big drive through vaccination centre operating. She says it was great to see how excited the local people were to get vaccinated.
"There was a real feeling of coming together and a relief for these people - especially the elderly. That was really positive."
She says there are still workforces in rural areas that are under extreme pressure and it gives her hope to see people working together across different organisations and communities.
"It is important that decision makers have a good understanding of the particular needs of how health matters in rural communities should be managed and resourced," Bolden adds. "Rural people know their needs better than the people in Wellington."
Reluctant Rural People
Fiona Bolden says with Covid lockdowns more common, rural people are now getting used to 'virtual' consultations with their local GP.
She says under lockdown level 4 only about 30% of patients are seen by GPs.
But Bolden says that virtual consultation is working well for some people who are finding it easier to talk things through with their GP via phone or video link - rather than face-to-face.
"The other thing about that, for rural people, it can be a bonus, because if a person is working on their farm and they need to see a doctor about something, it can take much more time out of their day."
However, Bolden says there are still many rural people who prefer face-to-face contact with their doctor.
Like many manufacturers around the world, European agricultural machinery and tractor manufacturers are currently operating in a difficult market environment. But they are heading to the world’s largest agricultural machinery event in Hanover next month with a degree of cautious optimism.
Established in 2021, the John Deere Technician of the Year Awards champion the important contribution parts and service technicians make to the Australian and New Zealand agriculture, construction and forestry industries.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.
New Zealand is closer to eradicating bovine TB than ever before, but possums remain a threat, says Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.
The ACT Party says media reports that global dairy giant Nestle has withdrawn from the Dairy Methane Action Alliance shows why New Zealand needs to rethink its approach to climate.
OPINION: Ageing lefty Chris Trotter reckons that the decision to delay recognition of Palestinian statehood is more than just a fit…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly recently met someone at a BBQ who works at a big consulting firm who spent…