Healthcare for disadvantaged children: Point England

Caryn Wilkinson Reporter from Community News

Underprivileged kids have gleaned access to health care at school.

Starship Community has opened a health clinic on the grounds of Point England School to look after the health of vulnerable children.

The Whare Hauora clinic was launched by Starship Community in partnership with the Starship Foundation and the school.

It will also provide outreach clinics in the community.

Starship community operations manager Paula Seymour said children's health and education are inter-dependent.

"Positioning health services alongside education increases access to healthcare and encourages positive health and education outcomes for children," Seymour said.

Young patients will gain prompt assessment and treatment, cutting the number of admissions to hospital for respiratory illnesses and skin conditions, she said.

The clinic's accessibility had the potential to reduce travel costs and the need for caregivers to take time off work for Starship appointments, Seymour said.

Whare Hauora is the brainchild of Nurse Consultant Sarah Williams, who saw first-hand the need for healthcare spaces within primary schools.

"Having the Whare Hauora means we can deliver more comprehensive and timely health services in schools with a focus on early intervention and support for the management of long term conditions,” Williams said.

"Since the first facility was established at Panmure Bridge School in 2018, we have seen a noticeable decrease in health related absenteeism suggesting a correlation between increased accessibility to healthcare and school attendance.
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