[NEWSLETTER] April 2016

April 7, 2016                                                                        From the Editor Hi everyone This is not a full scale newsletter but a short bulletin. Regular newsletters will resume in May. Cornwall Park Meeting Only eight of us made it to Cornwall Park. There were six apologies and maybe some people are still there looking for us. I put my hand up as the culprit, even though you’d think people would know what a “band rotunda” is:) We wasted 15 valuable minutes before we walked up the hill to the Creamery and had coffee under (ironically) a miniature rotunda. Thank you Kevin for buying the coffees. We had an excellent discussion in the end and have welcomed a new member, Adam. The old hands gave him vivid demonstrations on how to do neck exercises. We completed the questionnaire on “five things you would like to be improved about your treatment” and talked about a lot of issues (swallowing, Madonna, dental care, cars, boats, bowling, Shakespeare and motorsport) including moving our new organisation forward. What I’ve learned from this is that big band rotundas are bad meeting places, especially when they’re in the wrong place, but little rotundas with a round table provide a very good venue for discussion. (And please note. Women are also welcome. For some reason I was the only woman on the day.) We are more than Auckland We want to reach out to the provinces and beyond. While we can’t meet people from outside Auckland in person, we can communicate via email, the newsletter, phone calls, the temporary website and the “proper” website when we become incorporated and have funds. The final website will provide a forum for people to discuss issues and get support. We are still one or two months away from this occurring. Meanwhile the blogspot site below,  set up by Diana, is a good way to find the newsletters and other information. Feel free to email us. http://headandnecknetwork.blogspot.co.nz/ Hearing Therapy Service even easier for people to access The national Hearing Therapy Service, a free service for people needing help with managing hearing loss, is now available to GPs via e-referral. Hearing Therapy, provided by charitable trust Life Unlimited and funded by the Ministry of Health, can now be found in the CareSelect referral system on www.healthlink.net.  Referrals can also be made via the online form at http://lifeunlimited.net.nz/hearing/referral-form  or by phoning 0800 008 011. Hearing Therapy helps people manage the impact of hearing loss on their lives – at home, at work and in social situations. A trained hearing therapist will work with a patient and their family or whanau to develop strategies to help them manage living with a hearing loss, as well as providing information and advice on assistive technology and referrals to other health providers if required. Hearing therapists can also provide initial screening tests for people who suspect they might have hearing loss. The Service, available New Zealand-wide, does not sell or fit hearing aids but works closely with audiologists where appropriate.  Hearing Therapists hold the National Diploma in Hearing Therapy and are members of the Hearing Therapist Association of New Zealand (HTANZ). Hearing Therapy Services is available free for all New Zealand citizens and permanent residents aged 16 years and over. Life Unlimited is a not-for-profit charitable organisation governed by a board of trustees. For more information: www.lifeunlimited.net.nz/hearing  or www.facebook.com/hearingtherapy Material taken from the Health and Disability NGO network newsletter March 2016 Progress on New Zealand Health Strategy refresh The draft update of the New Zealand Health Strategy received 415 formal submissions.   A wide-ranging consultation late in 2015, involved more than 100 forums, workshops, meetings, Hui and Fono reaching more than 2,000 people.   As well, more than 7,000 people visited the consultation website.  Since consultation closed on 4 December 2015, Ministry of Health staff have been analysing submissions and feedback, and incorporating changes into the Strategy and Roadmap of Actions, in preparation for Cabinet approval.   This process is expected to be completed soon, the final strategy launched and all submissions published. Next Meeting On May 5  we are back to Domain Lodge. One of our speakers will be Vicki Thompson, specialist nurse from ORL. Her topic will be the multidisciplinary meeting, one of the most daunting but useful parts of our lives as cancer patients. Viv Williams, Manager of Information and Supportive Care Services, Cancer Society, will speak to us about the Cancer Connect programme. For some of us we may be in need of support, for others we can be a support for others with head and neck cancer. Viv will explain how the programme works, and what we can gain from it. For those who can’t be there, we will write as accurate a summary as possible and you are welcome to comment. At this meeting we will be able to have more “five things” questionnaires filled out, do some brief paperwork for incorporation purposes and also have general discussion. Bring all your ideas for our new organisation. If you cannot attend our meeting and would like to email your ideas please feel free to email us. We are looking for the best five things about your treatment and care, and the five things you think could be improved. We will use this information to inform our strategic plan. Contact us Diana: dianaayling@outlook.com Maureen: mjansener@gmail.com Temporary website: http://headandnecknetwork.blogspot.co.nz/