Walk through the doors of the newly refurbished Poutiri Wellness Clinic in Te Puke, and you are going to hear “yes” way more than you are going to hear “no”.

Staff moved out of the building that has frontages on Jellicoe St and Commerce Lane a touch over 12 months ago to let the refurbishment begin.

Last week, the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua healthcare and community came together to karakia (pray) and bless the new clinic.

The clinic was operational the following day and provides a “one stop shop” of health, social service, disabilities and education services to make wellness an easy and affordable process for the community, said Poutiri Trust tumu whakarae (chief executive) Kirsty Maxwell-Crawford.

Poutiri Trust chairman Spencer Webster. Photo / Supplied

“Our whānau have always been very clear – they want a healthcare provider that says yes more than no, so that’s why we operate in response to what our community needs and provide a comprehensive range of health and hauora services in ways that suit them,” said Maxwell-Crawford.

“Having counsellors, addiction practitioners, rongoā (traditional Māori healing) practitioners, social workers and everyone else alongside our medical centre means the vision is that we can say yes more than no and when patients or whānau walk through the door, we can respond to their health priorities.”

The exodus of 2024 resulted in services being delivered in different locations around the town and, while some services will continue to be offered away from the wellness clinic, Maxwell-Crawford said the refurbished building will be the trust’s main hub.

“We are excited to be back in our hub to make it easier for health and wellbeing multiple services to be in one place without people having to go far and wide to find services that will hear what is important to them about their health.”

The healthcare clinic better utilises the space in the building and marks the trust’s commitment to providing ongoing care in the community.

The clinic offers primary healthcare, chronic care management, and preventative services.

Patients can stop by when it suits, measure their height and weight; get body mass index and blood pressure readings; and access their health records, test results and prescriptions through a secure, online portal.

“We’re working to make healthcare more accessible, transparent and empowering,” said Maxwell-Crawford.

“Our people have been here providing exceptional quality of care for a long time. This clinic means we can expand and grow our services and equipment.”

Extended services

With the refurbishment comes the extension of some services into the evening and Saturday mornings from July.

In addition to primary care, the clinic’s broader wraparound services include mental health and addictions services, cancer care, palliative care, rongoā (traditional Māori healing), disability support, pregnancy and maternal health, fitness classes, whānau ora navigation towards wellbeing goals, financial mentoring, workforce development, maara kai (food garden) to build food security, rangatahi services, and education support.

“We want to normalise the fact that if you are coming to the doctors and you want to do something to change your health and wellbeing, we’ve got a range of different options to see what’s going to suit you.

“That’s all part of our mission – to equip patients and whānau on their health journey and to provide as much information as we can so they can make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.

“We invite our community to stop by and check out our new clinic and access our range of free and low-cost services.”

Covid response

The Trust expanded and opened the Poutiri Wellness Centre in 2021 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pandemic has influenced the design of the building with an inbuilt capability to allow staff to work in bubbles should there be a new pandemic.

Also integrated into the building design is a consultation room that can be accessed directly from the car park, for anyone who may be infectious.

Dr Joe Bourne says having so many services in one place promotes relationship-building. Photo / Supplied

Local GP, Dr Joe Bourne, who also works as the Chief Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health, has been working with the community for over 20 years.

He said working in a frontline health team it is great to have so many of services in one place promotes relationship-building.

“Relationships are really important, so that proximity to other services means we have a high degree of integration and for the future of health care, that’s really how we have to be developing it.”

He said the population is aging and with that comes an increased likelihood of people having multiple conditions.

“That really needs a team approach to providing care and having people in the next room means it’s so easy to knock on the door and say ‘can you come and help with this.”

Relationships are also strengthened by just chatting informally with others in the building.

“All that makes for a more cohesive team and a team is what people need now because of their complex needs.

“The team-based approach, the connection with not only other health care providers but being able to co-ordinate with other parts of the system such as ACC, MSD and housing for example – those things are in line with the vision for where primary health care goes in the future.”

Poutiri Network

The trust’s pahi mobile service also travels across the region providing free health checks across a range of community spaces and places, blood pressure and heart checks, cervical smears, immunisations, sore throat swabs and ear checks.

Dr Pouroto Ngaropo helped lead the blessing at the opening of the refurbished Poutiri Wellness Clinic. Photo / Supplied

The Poutiri network supports over 18,000 people each year.

Last week’s blessing was led by Dr Pouroto Ngaropo, tohunga (Māori knowledge) expert, and Hori Ahomiro, an expert in whānau/family inclusion in mental health and addictions services and the trust’s pou tikanga and trustee.