Media Release

30 June 2005

New Zealand Health Innovation Award winners announced

A scheme to reduce housing-related diseases among families in Housing New Zealand Corporation properties has clinched the Supreme Award in the New Zealand Health Innovation Awards.

The Healthy Housing Programme was set up in response to research that showed that household crowding was the biggest risk factor for meningococcal disease among Auckland children.

The programme, established by Counties Manukau District Health Board working in collaboration with the Housing New Zealand Corporation, also won the Organisation Award at tonight’s presentation at the St James Theatre in Wellington.

The Healthy Housing programme has been implemented in more than 2,000 homes in Auckland and Northland. It has reduced overcrowding and resulted in improved access to primary health care for tenants.

The Health Innovation Awards, sponsored by Telecom, were established jointly by ACC and the Ministry of Health to promote innovation in health and rehabilitation and the sharing of good ideas across the health, disability and rehabilitation sector.

Selected from 151 initial entries, the winners are health providers and practitioners from around New Zealand. Earlier this year a team of evaluators and a panel of judges, independent from the Ministry of Health and ACC, assessed the applications and made site visits to scrutinise entries.

The winner of each category (individual, group and organisation) received a certificate and cash prize of $8,000. The Supreme Award winner received $15,000 and a *People’s Choice award of $5,000 was also presented.

The 24 finalists at tonight’s ceremony presented their ideas through trade fair-style displays and presentations during the day at Te Papa.

*(The People’s Choice award is judged by the finalists and Telecom. The winner will only be known by 5pm on June 30.)

The award winners are:

Supreme Award:
The Healthy Housing Programme – synergies in health and housing -
Counties Manukau District Health Board, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Auckland Regional Public Health, Auckland District Health Board and Northland District Health Board.

Housing and health authorities working together to reduce the risk of housing-related diseases among families in Housing New Zealand Corporation properties
Contact: Jude Woolston (09) 262 9538


Individual Award:
Winner: Optimising Sedation in critically ill patients - Canterbury District Health Board.
A system devised at Christchurch Hospital to ensure that critically ill patients get the right amount of sedation.
Contact: Richard Dove (03) 364 4106

Highly Commended: ProExcellence: harnessing the knowledge and creativity of the practice team the CQI (Continuous Quality Improvement) power walk – ProCare Health Limited.
A voluntary programme designed for GP teams to improve the quality of their everyday practice.
Contact: Chris Boberg (09) 377 7827

Highly Commended: Hospital Clinical Skills Laboratory – Improving quality and care and patient safety – Hutt Valley District Health Board
A clinical skills laboratory providing medical students, doctors and nurses with vital clinical experience they may have missed out on.
Contact: Iwona Stolarek (04) 5666 999


Group Award:
Winner: Webhealth – www.webhealth.co.nz – where the right link makes a difference – Linkage Trust
A website designed to provide health and wellbeing information for people in the Waikato, providing an online connection to health and social services.
Contact: Simone Molenaar (07) 839 9828

Highly Commended: Cellulitis guideline and treatment kit for general practitioners – Waitemata Primary Options
A treatment kit for GPs that allows patients to be treated by their own GP rather than having to go into hospital.
Contact: Pam Boyce (09) 442 1648


Organisation Award:
Winner: The Healthy Housing Programme – synergies in health and housing -
Counties Manukau District Health Board, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Auckland Regional Public Health, Auckland District Health Board and Northland District Health Board.
Housing and health authorities working together to reduce the risk of housing-related diseases among families in Housing New Zealand Corporation properties
Contact: Jude Woolston (09) 262 9538

Highly Commended: The purpose and goals of energy management in a health care environment – Canterbury District Health Board
An energy-saving drive at Christchurch hospital that resulted in a $180,000 saving in a year.
Contact: Alan Bavis (03) 364 4106

Photographs of finalists are available from Peter Abernethy, Ministry of Health, 04 496 2008 or 021 366 111.

Entries are now open for the 2006 Health Innovation Awards. Information is available on the Awards' website - www.healthinnovationawards.co.nz.

For further information contact:
Trish Green
HIA Awards
Communications Advisor
(04) 475 3702
021 687 201

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Related information

Ministry of Health media releases

Health Innovation Awards website