We can learn a great deal from adaptations made by the health and disability sector during the COVID pandemic, and through learning, provide better, more equitable and accessible services and be better prepared for future challenges.
The adaptations made by organisations have varied, from hygiene care packages and kai parcels to embracing telemedicine. Many are being evaluated to be retained rather than returning to ‘how it was before’; others have been less successful, but we can still learn from them by understanding the context and barriers involved.
Sharing stories is one way to share knowledge and understanding. The resources included here have been curated and approved for sharing. We will add to them over time.
If you know of other stories that could be considered for inclusion, please email info@hqsc.govt.nz with COVID-19 in the subject line.
Kaupapa Māori approaches to responding to COVID-19
In this series of videos, staff from Ngāti Kahungunu Whānau Services share how they responded to the needs of whānau during COVID-19 using kaupapa Māori values and approaches.
Ngāti Kahungunu Whānau Services - working through COVID-19 (2021)
In this series of videos, staff from Ngāti Kahungunu Whānau Services share how they responded to the needs of whānau during COVID-19 using kaupapa Māori values and approaches.
Aotearoa New Zealand’s resilient health care during COVID-19 (article series by the Commission in partnership with providers):
The story of Turuki Healthcare, a multilingual kaupapa Māori health provider providing local whānau-based primary health care, wellness, pharmacy, parenting, domestic violence, mental health and social services to more than 11,000 enrolled patients in south Auckland: https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/resources/resource-library/turuki-healthcare-and-the-response-to-covid-19-between-february-and-may-2020/
Wairoa District in the east coast of the North Island comprises a large area stretching from Mahia through to Mohaka along the coast and inland to Waikaremoana, with multiple connections to the Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay regions. Ngāti Kahungunu is the third largest iwi in Aotearoa and comprises six rohe (regions) from northern Wairoa to southern Wairarapa. During the rise of COVID-19 in Aotearoa in March 2020 numerous iwi and hapū entities, community organisations, government and local government departments mobilised to protect their entire community: https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/resources/resource-library/te-rohe-o-te-wairoa-hawkes-bay-ngati-kahungunu-and-the-response-to-covid-19-between-february-and-may-2020/
Turuki Healthcare and the response to COVID-19 between February and May 2020 (2020)
The story of Turuki Healthcare, a multilingual kaupapa Māori health provider providing local whānau-based primary health care, wellness, pharmacy, parenting, domestic violence, mental health and social services to more than 11,000 enrolled patients in south Auckland: https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/resources/resource-library/turuki-healthcare-and-the-response-to-covid-19-between-february-and-may-2020/
Te Rohe o Te Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay, Ngāti Kahungunu and the response to COVID-19 between February and May 2020 (2020)
Wairoa District in the east coast of the North Island comprises a large area stretching from Mahia through to Mohaka along the coast and inland to Waikaremoana, with multiple connections to the Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay regions. Ngāti Kahungunu is the third largest iwi in Aotearoa and comprises six rohe (regions) from northern Wairoa to southern Wairarapa. During the rise of COVID-19 in Aotearoa in March 2020 numerous iwi and hapū entities, community organisations, government and local government departments mobilised to protect their entire community: https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/resources/resource-library/te-rohe-o-te-wairoa-hawkes-bay-ngati-kahungunu-and-the-response-to-covid-19-between-february-and-may-2020/
Other resources
This guide from the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors is to help people working in the health and social care ecosystem capture valuable practice and improvements made during their response to COVID-19: https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/assets/Our-work/Advance-care-planning/talking-COVID/CIEHF-Achieving-Sustainable-Change.pdf
Success stories tell us a lot about the principles for effective collective action. Leaders across organisations need to put aside individual priorities in favour of a collective approach. This article draws on theory and research on collective action to address adaptive problems in complex systems: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/collaboration-crisis
This webinar from the UK provides opportunities to learn from adaptions made during COVID-19 and to look at future models of care. A written summary of the webinar is also available on this website: https://q.health.org.uk/event/covid-19-safety-ii-in-action-with-suzette-woodward-simon-gill-and-paul-stretton/
This interim report of a COVID-19 outbreak at the North West Regional Hospital in Tasmania is presented in two parts. Part A looks at the preliminary analysis of the outbreak, and part B looks at the proposed interim review recommendations: https://doh.health.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/401010/North_West_Regional_Hospital_Outbreak_-_Interim_Report.pdf
This document (538KB, pdf) from Te Awakairangi Health Network describes the remarkable transformation that occurred locally across the primary and community care sector, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic response. This was mirrored in primary care in many places across the country during the early stages of the pandemic. Examples of PHO, general practice and community innovation and collaboration are shared which demonstrate the responsiveness of primary care and its people during this time of crisis.
Bridget Allan, chief executive of Te Awakairangi, introduces the document in the following video. Download a copy of the accessible transcript (21KB, docx). You can also watch the video on YouTube.
Sue Nightingale, Chief Medical Officer at Canterbury District Health Board, explains the role senior leaders played to empower people in the health and care services to make their own plans, supporting them to feel confident and taking on the politics so people could concentrate on what needed to be done: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/audio-video/how-health-system-new-zealand-responded-covid-19
This report (3.5MB, pdf) from the Queensland Clinical Senate details the innovations and transformations that occurred in response to COVID-19 and includes recommendations for future models.
This blog by Angie Tangaere and Penny Hagen is the second in a series of reflections and projections from the Auckland Co-Design Lab and the teams that they work with. It is about equity, systems health and systems change in the context of COVID-19: https://www.aucklandco-lab.nz/the-lab-blog/policy-by-design-symposium-6dy5r-lts6m
Turuki Healthcare is one of the largest kaupapa Māori primary care providers in Aotearoa, providing whānau-based health, wellness and social services to people in South Auckland. The following video/s tell of their experience during the COVID-19 lockdown period and highlight their extraordinary commitment and aroha for the people and the communities they serve. You can also watch this video on YouTube.
Dr Jane O’Malley, chief nurse at Whānau Āwhina Plunket, talks about her experience co-leading Plunket during the global COVID-19 pandemic; the challenges the team had to navigate and creating a new virtual service in just two weeks. Their focus was on prioritising those with highest needs. Now we are moving to COVID-19 alert level 1, they are evaluating the impact and future model. You can also watch this video on YouTube.
Achieving sustainable change: Capturing lessons from COVID-19 (Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors) (2020)
This guide from the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors is to help people working in the health and social care ecosystem capture valuable practice and improvements made during their response to COVID-19: https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/assets/Our-work/Advance-care-planning/talking-COVID/CIEHF-Achieving-Sustainable-Change.pdf
Collaboration in a crisis (The King's Fund) (2020)
Success stories tell us a lot about the principles for effective collective action. Leaders across organisations need to put aside individual priorities in favour of a collective approach. This article draws on theory and research on collective action to address adaptive problems in complex systems: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/collaboration-crisis
COVID-19: Safety-II in action – with Suzette Woodward, Simon Gill and Paul Stretton (Q) (2020)
This webinar from the UK provides opportunities to learn from adaptions made during COVID-19 and to look at future models of care. A written summary of the webinar is also available on this website: https://q.health.org.uk/event/covid-19-safety-ii-in-action-with-suzette-woodward-simon-gill-and-paul-stretton/
COVID-19 North West Regional Hospital Outbreak Interim Report (Department of Health, Tasmania) (2020)
This interim report of a COVID-19 outbreak at the North West Regional Hospital in Tasmania is presented in two parts. Part A looks at the preliminary analysis of the outbreak, and part B looks at the proposed interim review recommendations: https://doh.health.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/401010/North_West_Regional_Hospital_Outbreak_-_Interim_Report.pdf
COVID-19 response through a primary care lens: The journey so far and transitioning to the 'new normal' (Te Awakairangi Health Network) (2020)
This document (538KB, pdf) from Te Awakairangi Health Network describes the remarkable transformation that occurred locally across the primary and community care sector, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic response. This was mirrored in primary care in many places across the country during the early stages of the pandemic. Examples of PHO, general practice and community innovation and collaboration are shared which demonstrate the responsiveness of primary care and its people during this time of crisis.
Bridget Allan, chief executive of Te Awakairangi, introduces the document in the following video. Download a copy of the accessible transcript (21KB, docx). You can also watch the video on YouTube.
How the health system in New Zealand responded to COVID-19 (The King's Fund) (2020)
Sue Nightingale, Chief Medical Officer at Canterbury District Health Board, explains the role senior leaders played to empower people in the health and care services to make their own plans, supporting them to feel confident and taking on the politics so people could concentrate on what needed to be done: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/audio-video/how-health-system-new-zealand-responded-covid-19
Innovation and transformation of models of care in response to COVID-19 (Queensland Clinical Senate) (2020)
This report (3.5MB, pdf) from the Queensland Clinical Senate details the innovations and transformations that occurred in response to COVID-19 and includes recommendations for future models.
Sustaining and investing in locally-led wellbeing efforts: Going beyond services (The Auckland Co-Design Lab) (2020)
This blog by Angie Tangaere and Penny Hagen is the second in a series of reflections and projections from the Auckland Co-Design Lab and the teams that they work with. It is about equity, systems health and systems change in the context of COVID-19: https://www.aucklandco-lab.nz/the-lab-blog/policy-by-design-symposium-6dy5r-lts6m
The front lines – NZ COVID-19: Turuki Healthcare's experience (Turuki Health Care) (2020)
Turuki Healthcare is one of the largest kaupapa Māori primary care providers in Aotearoa, providing whānau-based health, wellness and social services to people in South Auckland. The following video/s tell of their experience during the COVID-19 lockdown period and highlight their extraordinary commitment and aroha for the people and the communities they serve. You can also watch this video on YouTube.
Whānau Āwhina Plunket's response to COVID-19 (Whānau Āwhina Plunket) (2020)
Dr Jane O’Malley, chief nurse at Whānau Āwhina Plunket, talks about her experience co-leading Plunket during the global COVID-19 pandemic; the challenges the team had to navigate and creating a new virtual service in just two weeks. Their focus was on prioritising those with highest needs. Now we are moving to COVID-19 alert level 1, they are evaluating the impact and future model. You can also watch this video on YouTube.