Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, primary health network WellSouth has this year introduced new mental health resources, expanded its Health Care Home programme, created a new call centre, and more. 

WellSouth Primary Health Network supports general practice teams and coordinates and helps in the delivery of primary health care in the lower South Island.

WellSouth’s annual report said, while COVID-19 featured large in 2020, the primary health network made progress in supporting primary health care.

“No question the COVID-19 response is the predominant feature in 2020, and we are tremendously proud of the work we have done,” WellSouth CEO Andrew Swanson-Dobbs said. 

“But when our teams weren’t kitted-out in PPE to swab thousands of Southerners in CBACs, church halls and marae, carparks and backpackers - we were doing what we do best and that’s supporting and enabling the effective delivery of primary health care services and helping patients to access other care services they need.”

The annual report outlines WellSouth’s progress on a number of significant steps during 2020, including:

• Introducing new mental health and well-being resources, health improvement practitioners and health coaches based in general practices.
• Expanding the Health Care Home programme from eight to 14 practices, representing 118,00 patients, and providing more options for receiving care, better access to same day appointments, and improving long-term conditions support.
• Creating the WellSouth Call Centre.
• Promoting and supporting telehealth options for care – both for general practices and WellSouth clinicians.
• Taking strides forward in many areas of information technology – including data analyses and security.
• Workforce development, including a practice nurses conference in Queenstown in September and a collaborative workshop for GPs and hospital specialists at Southland Hospital in January, which brought together 80 clinicians.
• Continuing work to implement the Primary and Community Care Strategy.

WellSouth chairman Dr Doug Hill said the work done by general practice and WellSouth during 2020 shows the value of well-organised and connected primary care.

“General practices were at the forefront of the response to COVID-19 in this region and part of the reason we were able to respond so quickly and so effectively, leading COVID-19 testing in the community, is because of our primary health network,” Doug said.

In addition to general practice teams, Andrew said WellSouth continued to work closely with the Southern District Health Board, its public health service, the Southern Māori Health Directorate and community providers to ensure health care services are connected and available where and when they’re most needed.

“Southland and Otago is a big, big region and making health services equitably available is not simple,” he said, adding that WellSouth works closely with partners and is confident of making further progress in the year ahead.

PHOTO: Wanaka App