The Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) has welcomed a new 'Measles-Free Summer' Facebook campaign launched yesterday by the Ministry of Health to try and reach teenagers and young adults - the two populations most affected by the current national upsurge in measles cases.

Whanganui residents requiring dietary advice now have access to a significantly larger, more comprehensive dietetics service.

The Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) is urging any members of the public who wish to request their pre-2001 medical records to contact the hospital's health records department as soon as possible.

An upsurge in measles cases nationally has prompted the Whanganui District Health Board to urge families to check their immunisations are up-to-date and to see their doctor immediately if they or a family member have not been immunised.

The Whanganui health sector has help on hand for smokers wanting to begin the New Year by quitting smoking.

Roast lamb and chicken served with roast vegetables, baby carrots and beans; steamed plum pudding with brandy sauce; or sugar free jelly and fruit, will be served to patients spending Christmas Day at Wanganui and Palmerston North Hospitals.

Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) has much to celebrate having topped two of the six Ministry of Health quarter one health target results released today.

The Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) has contracted dermatologist Dr Darshan Singh to provide a monthly clinic for public patients at Wanganui Hospital where the first clinic took place last month.

Health Minister Tony Ryall made a brief visit to Wanganui Hospital today to announce a major redevelopment of Whanganui District Health Board's mental health acute unit, Te Awhina.

The Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) is delighted to have a full complement of junior doctors who've recently arrived from as far away as the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and India to join Wanganui Hospital.

The family violence screening programme introduced in Wanganui Hospital's Emergency Department mid last year has been well received by the women asked if they have been experiencing violence in their homes.

Overall, the Whanganui District Health Board's (WDHB) immunisation steering group is pleased with Whanganui's immunisation rates and the 91 percent target rating achieved by the WDHB in the first quarter of the 2011/2012 year.

Whanganui has the third highest rate of smoking in New Zealand and the highest rate for female Maori smoking.

The Whanganui District Health Board's (WDHB) three advisory committees recently discussed the intention to explore how elderly Maori and Pacific peoples prefer to live, and what barriers they might face if living in aged care residential homes is not their preferred choice.

The Wanganui Eyecare and Medical Trust and Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) are joining forces to bring a second ophthalmologist to the Whanganui region.

Mammograms can find very small cancers before a woman is able to feel a lump in her breast.

"Get in the Game" is the theme for this year's Mental Health Awareness Week from October 10 to 16 - a challenge to Whanganui residents to get out and enjoy the range of activities on offer throughout the week.

A new and much improved system for starting people on blood thinning medication comes into use today with the Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) and Whanganui Regional Primary Health Organisation (WRPHO) jointly introducing the Warfarin Clinical Pathway.

As a result of a lot of hard work and effort from staff across our organisation, the Whanganui District Health Board is pleased to report it will post a $3.1m financial deficit for 2010/11 rather than the forecast $4.9 million approved deficit reported in your paper on 16 and 20 September.

The alliance between Whanganui and MidCentral District Health Boards continues to grow, benefiting both communities, say their respective Board Chairs Kate Joblin and Phil Sunderland.

Wanganui Hospital's Pink Ladies have been overwhelmed by the Whanganui community's generous response to their plea for more volunteers.

Four prisoners are currently being treated for hepatitis C through the Outpatients clinic the Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) established at Whanganui Prison in February.

From this week, a large display banner featuring Wanganui Hospital medical consultant Dr Chinweuba Ubani will greet national and international visitors passing through Wanganui Airport and Wanganui Visitor Centre.

Wanganui Hospital physiotherapists and invited physiotherapists working in private practice have a big day planned for today's World Physiotherapy Day.

Whanganui women are urged to view the September Cervical Screening Awareness Month campaign as a prompt to take control of their health.

The Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB), Whanganui Police, Whanganui iwi (Te Runanga o Tupoho) and the Te Oranganui Iwi Health Authority have signed a formal Sudden Death Protocol agreement.

Wanganui Hospital's Pink Ladies need to boost their numbers, and they need to do so quickly.

The Ministry of Health's quarter four health target results released today, show the Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) ranked second of 20 DHBs for its elective surgery, and diabetes and cardiovascular services results; third for its success in helping smokers to quit; and first equal for its success in providing shorter waiting times for cancer treatment.

Whanganui's August 18 Health & Disability Quality Awards were such a success, WDHB Chief Executive Julie Patterson has suggested the organising committee should consider holding the event annually.

Whanganui and MidCentral communities can be assured their health needs are in good hands says Allied Health Regional Director Kim Fry - one of nine senior clinicians appointed to the newly established centralAlliance Clinical Leaders Forum.

The benefits that people will gain from changes that Whanganui DHB and MidCentral DHB Allied Health staff are making to their health services, cannot be underestimated says Regional Director Allied Health Kim Fry.

The six District Health Boards (DHBs) providing health services to the central region are committed more than ever to working together to co-ordinate the planning and delivery of health services in the lower part of the North Island.

The method used to assess the medical, rehabilitation and support needs of older residents wanting to live in their home rather than an aged care facility is now much improved says Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) health of older people senior portfolio manager Andrea Bunn.

The approximately 500 people in the community who inject themselves daily with insulin are to be given bright yellow 1.4 litre BD Sharps Collectors for the disposal of their used needles.

A report on the health status of Whanganui and MidCentral District Health Board (DHBs) residents has found that while mortality rates have improved, the rates for WDHB residents were consistently higher than MDHB and national rates.

Wanganui Hospital's first surgical education and training programme 'advanced-level' trainee has left Whanganui with nothing but praise for the hospital and the staff she worked with.

The Whanganui District Health Board's (WDHB) recent accreditation as a training hospital for advanced trainees in geriatric medicine is a major boost to the board’s efforts to improve specialist healthcare for older people.

Ten determined Wanganui Hospital-based Spotless staff received loud applause when their friends, colleagues and family members gathered at a morning tea yesterday to celebrate their completion of the new Stepping Stones literacy, language and numeracy skills course.

Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) members discuss rehabilitation equipment while visiting Wanganui Hospital's Assessment, Treatment & Rehabilitation (AT&R) ward late last week.

June 7 marks the start of the WDHB's three-week Boostrix vaccination programme against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) for Year 7 school students.

And the WDHB ranked second highest among the country's 20 DHBs for providing better diabetes and cardiovascular services.

Wanganui Hospital's Outpatients Department is introducing a text message reminder system to tackle missed appointments head on.

The way in which doctors prescribe medications at Wanganui Hospital has undergone a significant change in recent days.

The Whanganui District Health Board has accepted full responsibility for an error that saw a woman being given a muscle relaxant before, rather than after, she was anaesthetised in theatre yesterday.

A joint MidCentral and Whanganui District Health Board gynaecological surgery initiative that offered women from MidCentral District Health Board (MDHB) district the chance to have their surgery performed earlier at Wanganui Hospital has been a very worthwhile project.

WDHB Public Health Nurse Marianne Vine and Wanganui's Imlay Butchers Shop have formed a successful partnership founded on the need to create a 'healthy' sausage for community sausage sizzles.

Wanganui Hospital's two-year search for a third sonographer is over. Former Waikato Hospital sonographer Jennifer Evanson has joined WDHB's radiology team who she says provide an outstanding service.

Midwives and their supporters worldwide are walking to raise awareness and funds to help tackle global inequalities in maternal and newborn health.

The Whanganui District Health Board's (WDHB) commitment to ensuring that Wanganui Hospital's nursing staff spend more time with patients and less time on administration, looking for supplies and dealing with interruptions that keep them away from patients, is paying off.

Wanganui Hospital's ophthalmology department recently became the first Wanganui medical service to be credentialed by an independent assessor from within the centralAlliance.

A MidCentral District Health Board patient, one of around 100 women so far offered clinical care including surgery, at Wanganui Hospital, feels she was 'treated with respect and dignity' on the day.

Aware that some Christchurch residents may relocate to Whanganui, the Whanganui District Health Board and Whanganui Regional Primary Health Organisation have prepared a primary health care fact sheet.

Whanganui, and MidCentral District Health Boards have appointed new midwifery advisor, Dr Cheryl Benn, who will work for both boards under the centralAlliance joint Women’s Health Services.

The Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) will be a key player in next week's national Schizophrenia Awareness Week.

Health targets released this week by the Ministry of Health showed the Whanganui District Health Board continued to lift its performance in the last quarter, ending December 2010.

The Whanganui District Health Board is urging families with elderly relatives receiving support and living in Christchurch not to bring them to Whanganui without going through the formal coordinated process.

The Whanganui District Health Board has received three-year certification to provide health care services under section 26 of the Health and Disability Services Act 2001 at Wanganui Hospital.

Like all DHBs across the country, Whanganui remains on Code red.

Please do not call Wanganui Hospital with offers to donate blood.

The first urology operations provided under Whanganui and MidCentral DHBs’ broadened, regional urology service were performed at Wanganui Hospital last week.

Wanganui District Health Board is stepping up its effort to address family violence.

centralAlliance partners Whanganui and MidCentral District Health Boards have appointed a new joint security and fire risk manager.

The Whanganui District Health Board’s first meeting for the year included the appointment of non-board members to the committees governed by the board.

Whanganui District Health Board Chief Executive Julie Patterson has recently released a proposal that, if introduced, will strengthen the leadership role of the doctors, nurses and other health professionals across the organisation.

The Whanganui District Health Board has received high praise for its improvements to mental health service acute unit, Te Awhina.

The Whanganui District Health Board performed well in the July to September quarter almost reaching every one of five national targets set down by the Ministry of Health.

The Whanganui District Health Board has today reconfirmed that the home based community palliative care services will remain in Taihape and that Arohanui Hospice will continue to provide specialist palliative care services, including inpatient services.

Whanganui District Health Board has today welcomed their new Director of Maori Health, Gilbert Taurua, with a Powhiri at Te Aohou Marae.

The Whanganui District Health Board is confident that all the residents will have a new home before the residential care services in Taihape close on the 12 December 2010.

Following on from the recent release of the National Care Indicators Survey results for aged care providers in the region, the Whanganui District Health Board has today released the results of same survey carried out at the Wanganui Hospital.

The Whanganui District Health Board's national health target results were praised at today’s Hospital Advisory Committee meeting.

As part of the Regional Women's Health Service, the Whanganui Hospital will perform 150 elective gynaecology surgeries for MidCentral patients over the next year.

The Whanganui DHB has today received formal notification from the liquidator that he is unable to continue to provide residential care services in Taihape and has disclaimed the contracts.

After meeting with the midwives earlier this week; the Whanganui District Health Board can confirm the current maternity services in Taihape will continue.

The appointment of three board members on both Whanganui and MidCentral district health boards does not signal the end of health services in Wanganui.

The full range of primary and community based health services in Taihape are continuing.

The Minister of Health, Tony Ryall, has today appointed the board chair, deputy chair and four board members for the Whanganui District Health Board.

Over the last two days the Whanganui DHB board chair, chief executive and a general manager have been in Taihape holding individual meetings with each of the families who will be affected by the closure of the residential care facility.

The Wanganui District Health Board has welcomed today's annual report of serious and sentinel events released by the Health Quality & Safety Commission New Zealand.

The Whanganui District Health Board met yesterday with the liquidator who explained his role in the management of the voluntary liquidation of Otaihape Health Limited.

The Whanganui District Health Board has been notified that Otaihape Health Limited has entered into voluntarily liquidation.

Three high profile, respected Whanganui District Health Board members have been farewelled at today's board meeting.

Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) invested in their commitment to improving patient outcomes with the establishment of a dedicated Centre for Patient Safety and Service Quality.

The nation-wide two day full withdrawal of labour on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 November has resulted in 30 patients' radiology appointments at Wanganui Hospital being postponed.

Whanganui District Health Board has today received a copy of the Coroner's findings in relation to the death of Mrs Sharna Ah Chookoon.

Wanganui Hospital Emergency Department tested their decontamination process today in a planned exercise with the Wanganui Fire Brigade and St John Ambulance.

Last night, Whanganui District Health Board officially welcomed 14 new doctors, who have arrived over the past three months, to Wanganui Hospital.

Whanganui District Health Board continues to make good progress towards meeting the National Health Targets, with the end of year results released today by the Minister of Health.

The Board has today unanimously agreed to give the services at Taihape a second chance by providing a support package valued at close to half a million dollars to Otaihape Health Limited.

At today's Board meeting the Strategic Action Plan for tackling obesity was presented and it was agreed by all members that tacking obesity is a high priority for the Whanganui District Health Board.

The Whanganui District Health Board has released the report from the recent review of the Te Awhina acute mental health unit in the Board papers.

Seasonal influenza, including swine flu, has returned this winter with vengeance. The Whanganui District Health Board is reminding all visitors to stay home if they are infected to help prevent the spread of the virus.

MidCentral and Whanganui District Health Board's new joint contract with Spotless Services has successfully commenced this week.

Whanganui District Health Board is the first in New Zealand to receive confirmation that their 2010/2011 District Annual Plan (DAP) has been approved by Health Minister Tony Ryall.

As with many other Hospitals in New Zealand, the public demand for services at the Emergency Department at Wanganui Hospital has significantly increased.

Whanganui District Health Board Chief Executive Julie Patterson today released a Decision Document on how the organisation could safely reduce its spending.

A shared clinical information system for the management and audit of existing colposcopy services for women using the Regional Women's Health Service of Whanganui and MidCentral District Health Boards has been implemented.

Whanganui District Health Board has apologised to a young woman over lack of informed consent.

Whanganui District Health Board has recently been awarded 'baby-friendly hospital' status.

Whanganui District Health Board is strongly denying that a promise of surgery was made to an obese woman that was later withdrawn.

Spotless Services NZ has won the joint contract for facilities management and hotel services at MidCentral and Whanganui District Health Board.

A patient safety survey will be launched in the Whanganui region involving about 600 patients in both hospital and local nursing and rest homes.

Whanganui District Health Board is delighted by, and strongly supports, the Government's Whanau Ora report which was released today.

Good Interest in Requests for Proposal for centralAlliance Joint Commercial Support Services

Fears that Whanganui and MidCentral district health boards are facing a forced merger are ungrounded says Whanganui Board Chair Kate Joblin.

A challenge by Wanganui Eye Care Trust has seen two new ultrasound machines bought for Whanganui Hospital at a cost of about $50,000 each.