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welcomeWelcome–Greetings to you allWelcome to the new look Public Health News for the MidCentral Health region. We hope the information we have put together will be shared with Early Childhood Education staff, parents, caregivers and whanau. The newsletter can be photocopied and sent home, put on notice boards, or copy/pasted into your own newsletters. Use it how it will best work for you!

In this issue

• Alittlebitaboutus–findoutaboutwhatHealthProtectionOfficersdointhecommunityandinECEservices.AlsofeaturedinthisissueisthePublicHealthServiceHealthInformationResourceCentrewhichprovidesanamazingrangeofresourcesfortheearlychildhoodsector.

• Highfiveforcleanhands• Carseatsafety• B4schoolcheck• What’son?–Therearesomegreatcommunityeventscomingup,check

themout.

InupcomingissueswewouldlovetofeaturenewhealthandwellbeinginitiativeshappeningatECEservicesinourregion.Ifyouwouldliketosharethegreatthingsyouhavebeendoingpleaseletusknow.

Commentsaboutthenewsletter,healthandwellbeinginitiatives,andideasforfuturearticlescanbeemailedto:louise.allen@midcentraldhb.govt.nz.Pleasealsoemailthisaddressifyouwouldlikeustopostyouapapercopyofthisnewsletter.

newsPublic Health NEWSIssue 3

MidCentral Health RegionMarch 2011

Health and wellbeing information for early childhood education staff, parents, caregivers and whanau

A little bit about us Public Health Service job profile

This issue: Health Protection Officers (HPO’s)

HPOsareemployedbythePublicHealthServiceofeachDistrictHealthBoard.Weprotectpublichealthby:

• Identifyingandmanagingpublichealthrisks

• Investigatinghealthissuesraisedbythecommunity

• Enforcingpublichealthlegislation• Providingpublichealthadviceand

informationWhat is our role in Early Childhood Education?

Priortoopening,newcentresmustobtainahealthreportfromaHealthProtectionOfficerattheirPublicHealthServiceaspartoftheMinistryofEducationlicensingrequirements.TheMinistryofEducation

canalsorequestahealthreportforexistingcentresundercertaincircumstances.

Inthepreventionandcontrolofcommunicabledisease,weworkwithECEserviceswherecasesoroutbreaksofillnessarepresenttoreducethespreadoftheillness.

Providinghealthinformationandadviceonpublichealthissuesisanimportantpartofourwork.Tosupportyourhealthandwellbeingpoliciesandprocedureswehavedevelopedawiderangeofinformationsheetsandguidelines.Theserangefromthecleaningofcentrestomanagingleadbasedpaint.

Ifyouthinkwecanhelp,giveusacall-wewelcomeandencourageanyenquiriesfromECEservices,associations,parents,caregiversorwhanau.

Jobprofilescomingupinfutureissues–PublicHealthNurse,VisionandHearingTechnician,HealthPromotionAdviser,ChildOralHealth,andMedicalOfficerofHealth.

HealthProtectionOfficers(frontLtoR)JoBlissandKathrynKnightbridge(backLtoR)LouiseAllenandBrettMunro(absentPeterWoodandTuiShadbolt).

“Children matter. They have a right to the

best possible outcomes, both for

their own sakes and to protect their future contributions

to society as adults.

The Best Start in Life: Achieving effective action on child health and wellbeing, Public Health Advisory Committee 2010.

high 5

childChild Car Seat SafetyChildren should be safely restrained in the correct child car seat every time they travel.

“Sadly,childpassengerinjuriesarealeadingcauseofdeathandhospitalisationforchildreninNewZealand,with16childdeathsayearandaboutaclassroom-full(23kids)admittedtohospitaleverymonth,”saysAnnWeaver,DirectorofSafekidsNewZealand.

Butcorrectlyusingandinstallingchildcarseatscanreducetheriskofdeathby70%forinfants,54%fortoddlers,andreducetheneedforhospitalisationbyupto69%forallchildren4yearsandyounger.

Researchshowsthattheseareoftenfittedincorrectly.

A comprehensive health and development check is available free to all 4 to 5 year olds.

CarriedoutbybothaNurseandaVisionHearingTechnicianitistomakesurethatchildrenarehealthyandareabletolearnwellwhentheyreachschool.

Teachersmaybeaskedtocontributeinformationaboutachild’ssocialandemotionalstrengthsanddifficulties.If

concernsareidentified,thechildandparentswillbeofferedsupport.Whilethisisacomprehensivecheckitisnotacompleteassessmentofachild’shealthanddevelopment.Ifaparentorteacherhasspecificconcernsadditionalhelpmaybesought.

TheB4schoolcheckisanopportunityforteacherstosupportparentsandensurechildrenhaveeveryopportunitytolearntotheirfullpotential.

ThisprogrammeiscoordinatedbyPlunketwithinthePalmerstonNorth,Manawatu,Tararua,andHorowhenuaregions.

For further information about the B4School Check go to: www.moh.govt.nz/b4schoolcheck or www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/EarlyYears/SupportForYourChild.aspx or phone a Public Health Nurse.

b4B4 School Check

High 5 For Clean Hands

As you know children need help and encouragement to learn good hand washing techniques. Observing and teaching them how to wash their hands properly will pay off in preventing the spread of illness in your centre.

Traditionalhandwashingwithwarmwaterandsoapistheeasiestwaytopreventthespreadofdiseaseandillness.Handsanitiserscanbeusedasasubstitutebutonlywhenhandwashingfacilitiesarenotavailable.

Belowisafriendlyremindertoteachersandstaffonhandwashingtechniqueswhichcanbepassedontochildrenandtheirfamilies.

Recommended techniques for good hand hygiene:

• Wethandswithwarmwater• Applyliquidsoap• Ruballareasofhandsvigorouslytogether• Washunderrunningwaterfor20seconds(aboutthesametime

asittakestosingHappyBirthday)• Rinsewell• Dryhandsthoroughlyfor20secondsusingapapertowel

PublicHealthhasanumberoffree,eyecatchinghandwashingstickersandposters.JustphoneLindaMooreon(06)3504731toorderthese.

Don’tforgetourfunhandwashingresourcekitwhichcanbeusedbystaffandchildrentoprovideapracticallessonforhandwashing.Ifyouwouldliketousethispleasecontactyourcentre’sPublicHealthNurseon(06)3504560.

Travel tips and reminders:

• Usetherightchildcarrestraint:rear-facingforbabiesandtoddlers;forward-facingforpre-schoolers.

• Carseatsandboosterseatsletkidssithigher,givingthemabetterview.

• VisitPlunket(ortheirwebsite)forinformationonhiringchildcarseatsorboosterseats.

• Kidsunder12yearsoldaresaferinthebackseat,awayfromfrontairbags,andonthelefthandside.

• Forfactsheetsandresourcescheckoutwww.safekids.org.nz.

• ContactPlunketorthePublicHealthServiceforpamphletsoncorrectlyfittingcarseatsorcheckoutthecarseatmanual.

for Clean Handsfor Clean HandsHigh FiveHigh Five

wash hands

for 20

secondswash hands

for 20

seconds

Rub on bothsides of both hands...

Wet your hands underclean running water.

Use warm water if available

and in betweenfingers and thumbs...

and round andround both hands

Rinse all the soap offunder clean running water.Use warm water if available

High Fivefor Clean Hands

Always wash and dry your hands...Always wash and dry your hands...

1Put soap on your

hands and wash for 20seconds. Liquid soap is best

2Rub hands

together until the soapmakes bubbles

34

5

67 Dry your hands all over

for 20 seconds. Using apaper towel is best (or, if athome, a clean dry towel)

8

dry handsfor 20seconds

dry handsfor 20seconds

beforebefore afterafter

going tothe toilet

playing outside

eating orpreparing food having contact

with animals

sneezing, coughingor blowing your nose

–

The Ministry of Health acknowledges the work of Northland District Health Board in producing this material. July 2009. Code HE2201

HOROWHENUA

FAMILY HEALTH EXPO

18 MARCH 2011

10AM - 3PMHOROWHENUA HEALTH CENTRE

FREEENTRY

Contact Details nigel.fitzpatrick@midcentraldhb.govt.nz

»

healthHealth Information Resource CentreThe Public Health Service Health Information Resource Centre operates out of ‘Health on Main’ at 575 Main St in Palmerston North.

Hereyouwillfindbrochures,stickers,postersandmuchmoreoneveryhealthtopicimaginable.

LindaMoore,MinistryofHealthauthorizedproviderforthisarea,

saysshehasinstockover500differentresources.VideotapesandsomeDVD’sarealsoavailableonloan.

Alloftheresourceswestockarefreeofchargeandcanbeorderedbyphone,faxoremail&onlineatthesitebelow.Ifyouwouldliketocallintohavealookattherangeofresourcesavailable,thebesttimetodothisisbetween9am–1pm,MondaytoThursday.

Lindacanbecontactedonph3504560,fax3504561orbyemail:public.health.info@midcentraldhb.govt.nz

MostoftheresourceswestockcanbeviewedontheHealthEducationwebsitewww.healthed.govt.nz.SomeotherresourcesarealsoavailablefromNZFSA(NewZealandFoodSafetyAuthority),CancerSociety,MentalHealthFoundation,Children&YoungPersons,ACC,NZFireSafety,andSafeKids.

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES: MidCentralHealthPrivateBag11036PalmerstonNorth4442

Health Protection Officers Health Promotion AdvisorsPublicHealthUnitCommunityHealthVillagePalmerstonNorthHospitalPhone063509110Fax063509111

Public Health Nurses Vision & Hearing Technicians Health Information Resource Centre575MainStreetPalmerstonNorthPhone063504560Fax063504561

Child & Adolescent Oral HealthRimuHouseCommunityHealthVillagePalmerstonNorthHospitalPhone063508619or08008255833

contactContact Details

FREEENTRY

10AM - 3PM»FRIDAY 11 M

ARCH 2011 AT BARBER HALL

PALMERSTON NORTH

WELL CHILD

EXPO »

Contact Details nigel.fitzpatrick@midcentraldhb.govt.nz

»

LOVE & AFFECTION

what’sWhat’s On?Coming soon to your area are two exciting Health Expo’s.

InLevin,theFamilyHealthExpowillbeheldintheHorowhenuaHealthCentreonFriday18thMarchbetween10am-3pm.

InPalmerston North,theWellChildTamarikiOraExpowillbeheldonFriday11thMarchattheBarberHallinWaldegraveSt.

Botheventsarefreetothepublicandofferavaluableopportunitytoincreasethepublicprofileofhealthandotherservicesforchildren.

ThethemeforChildren’sDay(oneweekearlier)isLoveandAffectionandstall-holderswillbeusingthistheme.

NigelFitzpatrick,aPublicHealthServiceHealthPromotionAdvisor,andoneoftheorganisers,saysthattheexposofferagreatopportunitytochattoanurseorotherhealthprofessionalregardingconcernsorquestionsyoumayhaveaboutchildhealth.Therewillalsobegive-awaysandprizesatbothevents.

InFeilding,theannualChildren’sDayeventisbeinghostedatMakinoPoolonSunday6thMarchbetween11am-3pm.Poolentryisfree,andthethemeis“Love&Understanding”.

Junk&DisorderlyfromRangiwahiaarebookedtoprovideanartactivityforchildrenandparents.PublicHealthNurseswillbeonhandtopromotehealthyeatingwithagiveawayoffreefruit.

OrganisedbyateamfromMakinoAquaticCentre,localchurchesandserviceclubs,MidCentralPublicHealthServiceandManchesterHouse,thisdayisalwayspopularandwellattended.

LindaMoore