Auckland, May 14, 2017
Plunket is celebrating its 110th Birthday today.
For more than a century, Plunket has been invited into the homes of families and whnau across the country and touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of babies.
Plunket Chief Executive Amanda Malu said that New Zealand communities have changed a lot since 1907, but Plunkets services are still a valued and vital support for new parents.
Plunket has grown from a Karitane home for babies in Dunedin, to a national organisation supported by 1500 dedicated staff, and even more volunteers. The difference we make in the lives of the children and families is only possible thanks to our expert clinical and community services staff, selfless and hard-working volunteers, and the support of our Kiwi communities. Today is about thanking them, she said.
Community Services
She said that the focus for the year ahead is about ensuring Plunkets community services are able to reach all the families and children that need support, not just now, but in another 100 years time.
This includes raising several million dollars through Plunkets 1000-day Raise a Bundle campaign to ensure Plunkets free community support services, like parenting courses and drop-in family centres, are available where they are needed most.
One of Plunkets areas of focus has been moving its systems online.
Substantial change
Bay of Plenty Clinical Leader and Plunket nurse Annie Fisher has been with Plunket for more than a decade and says even in that time there has been a huge amount of change.
Digital technology was a blessing following the recent floods in Edgecumbe.
Because a lot of our information is recorded on tablets now new babies records were safe and sound in the cloud, she said.
Mothers with busy schedules expect us to operate online. It makes it easier to map out appointments and means we can plan our day with fewer trips to and from the clinic between visits, she added.
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Photo Caption:
Waverly Brasell and Jan Harris cut the 110th Birthday cake
