Choices - Kahungunu Health Services

03/12/2025

Kia ora,

Someone left a phone at our Flaxmere clinic yesterday - Wednesday 3rd Dec. If this phone is yours, please head into clinic. Admin will not hand over the phone unless the correct description is given.

Ngā mihi,
Choices

02/12/2025

As 2025 comes to an end, we would like to give a big mihi to all of you who trust us with your care. Without you, there would be no us.

We have two more weeks of our working year to go, that gives plenty of time to get your contraception ready for the festive season.
Whether that be condoms, the pill, the depo injection or the Jadelle rod - our nurses can do them all.

What is even more important is getting a sexual health check to make sure you are clean before the fun starts 👀 I know you all know what we mean.
Our last day for blood tests and STI checks will be Tuesday 16th, this gives us time to receive results and give treatment if needed.

24/11/2025

Super helpful especially in that early postpartum so māmā can rest ✨

UPDATE: Due to an inundation of referrals, we have temporarily turned off our referrals while our volunteers work their way through our current referrals. Thank you for your understanding.

Hey Hawke’s Bay! 👋
If you or someone you know could do with a few nights off cooking, we’ve got free nourishing meals ready to go. Bellyful provides free nourishing meals to whānau with babies or children under 12 who are facing tough times like illness, bereavement, stress, isolation, pregnancy, miscarriage, or baby loss – no matter their financial situation. Our support is for families without a support network.

Self-referrals welcome: https://bellyful.org.nz/bellyful-branches/hawkesbay/

18/11/2025

Our clinics will be closed for two weeks over the Christmas/New Year period, make sure you pop in clinic to get your contraception sorted for the festive season.

Last day in clinic Friday 19th December - Reopening Monday 5th January.

15/11/2025

With Syphilis on the rise, here is a little education around Syphilis and hapūtanga.

Testing for Syphilis is recommended every 3 months if you have had changes in sexual partners. It's a simple blood test, no booking is needed.

While we routinely check for Syphilis when a wahine falls pregnant, changes in partners (by either side) can mean it can be caught during hapūtanga. If this happens, Syphilis can cross the placenta and infect pēpi at any stage of pregnancy.

If untreated, syphilis increases the risk of:
Miscarriage
Stillbirth
Preterm birth
Low birth weight
Premature rupture of membranes

Effects on the baby (Congenital Syphilis)
Newborns may have:

No symptoms at birth (but can develop complications later)
Skin rash
Fever
Anemia
Enlarged liver and spleen
Jaundice
Bone abnormalities
Severe nasal discharge (“snuffles”)
Neurological problems (hearing loss, developmental delays)
Vision problems
Failure to thrive

Congenital syphilis can be fatal if not treated.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1H7E8DBKfH/

Syphilis rates have risen 45% nationally since 2022, hitting wāhine, rangatahi and pēpi Māori hardest, urging for more testing and open sexual health.

06/11/2025

Chickenpox Vs. Measles...

If you're unsure, give us a call and speak with a registered nurse - 0508 942 628

06/11/2025

Walk-in immunisation appointments are available at our Flaxmere clinic for both children and adults however it is best to call - Free phone 0508 942 628

First appointment for immunisations is 9:00am with the last appointment at 2:30pm.

It’s Measles Immunisation Week! 🛡️

Measles is highly contagious - but the good thing is it’s also preventable. This week is all about making sure our communities are protected.

💉 The MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) is free for anyone under 18 and for those eligible for free healthcare.
📍 Drop-in clinics are running across the country - no appointment needed.
👶 Not sure if your child is immunised? Now’s the time to check.

📲 Visit info.health.nz/immunisations/immunisation-clinics for local pop up clinics near you. You can also refer to healthpoint.co.nz as not all immunisation clinics are listed in info.health.nz.

Another option for booking an MMR vaccine is to book online: info.health.nz/bookavaccine

29/10/2025

🩷 Wondering who can refer to Bellyful?

The answer is… anyone! 🙌

You don’t have to be a health professional — referrals can come from:
👩‍⚕️ Midwives, Plunket nurses, or social workers
👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 Friends, family, neighbours
👶 Or even parents referring themselves!

If you know a whānau with a new baby or young children who could use up to three nights off cooking, we’d love to help.

Just head to https://bellyful.org.nz/bellyful-branches/hawkesbay/
and pop in a quick referral — it only takes a few minutes!

29/10/2025

Health promotion today at Te Whatuiāpiti Marae with Te Ikaroa Rangatahi 🙌🏼

One step at a time we work towards breaking the many barriers that stop our whānau from accessing healthcare. It was awesome to be with you all today, we appreciate you letting us into your space. Kia kaha e hoa mā ✨

(Photo posted with permission)

21/10/2025

Tomorrow - Choices Southampton Street

Nau mai e hapū māmā ✨

Free wānanga to create an Uku Ipuwhenua. Come along either on your own or with a support person.

He taonga tuku iho — a sacred connection to the land.
Inspired by the pūrākau of Hineahuone, the first wahine formed from the sacred earth of Papatūānuku, this clay ipu whenua workshop honours the deep connection between te tangata, te whenua, and our whakapapa. Clay is more than material — it is a vessel for mauri, memory, and ancestral ties. Join us in creating a taonga that returns the whenua (placenta) to its source — Papatūānuku, the womb of all life.

Choices Hastings
208 Southampton Street West

20/10/2025

Mana Wāhine Breast & Cervical Screening Day - Ahuriri

If you are a wahine who is 45 or over and has never had a mammogram, now is your time! Our tamariki need there māmā, be safe and get checked.

Cervical screening has now moved to the HPV self test, it's quick and easy, all it takes is 20 seconds ad you do it yourself!
If you are 25 and over and have a cervix, haven't been screened before or know you are due. Pop in on the day.