Our vision and mission

Vision

All New Zealanders have free access to independent online health information they can rely on to help prevent disease and minimise the effects of ongoing health conditions.

Mission

To provide New Zealanders with a suite of trusted online health resources that are relevant and support shared decision making between them and their healthcare providers, and to increase their confidence, skills, independence and wellbeing.

Health principles

• Health information should be equally available to New Zealanders and health professionals.
• Health consumers are experts about themselves and the key managers of their day-to-day health.
• As a country, we need to continually keep improving the quality of care provided and reducing the gap between best care and usual care.
• Care should be person/whānau-centred and holistic, recognising the importance of the physical, psychological, emotional, cultural and spiritual dimensions for hauora (health).

Background

In 2005, a small group of passionate New Zealand nurses, psychologists, doctors, allied health professionals, members of the public and managers interested in encouraging adoption of self-management principles across the health sector was formed and it established the Self-Management Network. This acted as a forum for collaboration and the sharing ideas and knowledge about self-management support for people with long-term conditions.

Over time, a growing need for a coordinated source of reliable health information and self-help resources was recognised that would also curb the growing duplication and fragmentation of online health information.

Three years later, the first Health Navigator website went live in December 2008. As interest in the project from around the country grew, a more permanent structure was required and, in July 2008, the Health Navigator Charitable Trust was registered with the Charities Commission in New Zealand.

In 2013, MIMS NZ gifted most of the content of its two well-known websites www.everybody.co.nz and www.liveto100.co.nz to Health Navigator. This provided a unique opportunity to merge the three websites and create a nationally trusted website covering all health conditions, not just long-term conditions, focusing on resources for the public of New Zealand.

In the video below, Janine Bycroft, our clinical director, gives an overview of the Health Navigator website and App library at the 2018 General Practice Conference and Quality Symposium, Auckland.

Other products 

As well as publishing this website, the Health Navigator Charitable Trust provides a range of products and services to New Zealanders and the health professionals who care for them.

Self-Management Support (SMS) Toolkit

The SMS Toolkit is a separate website for healthcare providers wanting easy access to resources that support them to better engage patients in their own health decisions and long-term condition self-management. The website is loaded with SMS information, services, tools and resources for a New Zealand context.

A range of core topics are covered to support SMS implementation, training and skill development. These include sections and training modules for care planning, health literacy, goal setting, positive behaviour change, social support and groups visits. SMS is particularly beneficial for people living with long-term conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease or arthritis, because it supports them to continue to play a key role in the management of their own care.

The SMS Toolkit is a  joint venture between Health Navigator and Health Literacy NZ and is funded by the Ministry of Health. 

Training

Health Navigator provides a range of training workshops, conferences and sessions for health professionals and the public. This includes the two Australasian Long-Term Conditions Conferences in 2011 and 2014 and a series of workshops relating to long-term conditions and diabetes for the Ministry of Health. 

Long-term conditions clinical network

This online forum provides a place for health providers, managers, consumers, academics and funders to discuss, network, share knowledge and resources on topics relating to improving chronic care, long-term condition management, co-production and much more. The site includes the option for blogs, special interest groups, resource library, event postings, photo gallery, discussion boards and more. 

Newsletters

Health Navigator produces 4 regular newsletters that you can sign up for in the footer of every page on this website.

Facebook

Like us on Facebook and join in on conversations about tips and ideas for keeping yourself and your family healthy.

Resource development

From time to time, we identify gaps in what is available and ideal for a New Zealand audience. Below are some of the resources we have developed to meet this need. 

Diabetes video series 

These videos will help whānau and individuals understand key concepts and how their medications work, and to improve people’s skills and confidence to understand and self-manage type 2 diabetes. 

The key areas covered are:

• overview & symptoms
• causes
• finding out you have diabetes
• living well with diabetes by keeping active and eating healthy
• medications
• tests and complications
• looking after your eyes
• foot care.

The videos are available to purchase on DVD for $10. Email admin@healthnavigator.org.nz

Governance

Health Navigator NZ is overseen by a Trust Board and Advisory Group that include a mix of funders and providers from primary care, secondary services, universities, non-governmental organisations and consumers. Additional integration and expertise is provided by members of our Long-Term Conditions Network from across the country. 

Trust board

Since the establishment of the Trust, governance has shifted to the Trustees, on behalf of the wider community and sector. There are six trustees. Each brings unique skills, experience and expertise to oversee the ongoing development and work of the Trust and Health Navigator NZ. 

Advisors

We are grateful to also have the expertise and input from a wide range of clinical, business and consumer advisors. These include:

• Caran Barratt-Boyes, Community Coordinator Diabetes & Māori Health, CMDHB
• Megan Clark, Manager, Philson Library, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, University of Auckland
• Dr David Codyre, Clinical Director & Community Psychiatrist, East Tamaki Healthcare
• Dr Karl Cole, Chief Information Officer, ProCare Health Ltd
• Anna-Marie Ruhe, Māori Health Gain Manager, ADHB/Waitematā DHB
• Gayl Humphrey, Research Fellow,National Institute of Health Innovation, University of Auckland (previously Strategy Manager, ADHB)
• Leani O’Connor, Pacific Manager, Auckland DHB/Waitematā DHB
• Charlene Pretorius, MSc (Hons) MBS (Dist) BSc PGrad Dip (HSM) Cert (Treaty of Waitangi Studies) FSMLT AFCHSE MNZPsS Self Management Consultant
• Dr Dianne Roy, RN, PhD, Nursing Lecturer, Unitec NZ, with a special interest in arthritis
• Charmaine Vaughan, Communications Advisor
• Sarah Tibby,  Programme Manager, healthAlliance.

We thank and acknowledge each one of our advisors for their generous input, support and expertise.

Footnote

It is intended that the rebuild of this website will attract additional support from the New Zealand health sector and the public, so that it continues to develop and expand in association with all our valued content providers. To contact our business development manager please email janine@healthnavigator.org.nz