A new digital tool launched by Southern Health will give the public, clinicians, and researchers access to important healthcare information for the region. 

The new website, Tō Tātou Pūkete, captures health data of the region’s communities and families, with the aim to better understand what people need most from their health care services.

The tool focuses on four key areas: Demography - Who lives in Southern?; Health Drivers – What keeps us healthy?; Health Status – How well are we?; and Health Services – Where and how do we get healthcare?

The Tō Tātou Pūkete team say they have worked with multiple stakeholders including the University of Otago, WellSouth Primary Health Network, Māori Health Directorate, Rūnaka, Community Health Council and others to bring this project to fruition.

Dr Susan Jack, Medical Officer of Health, says Tō Tātou Pūkete moves away from traditional methods of publishing public health data and provides easy access to important health information for a wide audience.

“The Tō Tātou Pūkete datasets enhance planning not only for the health service, but for the wider community – councils, non-government organisations, and primary care.” 

“Tō Tātou Pūkete is a big part of the Southern DHB’s support for Aotearoa/New Zealand’s digital transformation, health reforms, and transition to Hauora Aotearoa/Health NZ.”

Members of the public are also invited to explore Tō Tātou Pūkete to increase their awareness of what is happening in health in their region and to equip communities to identify and develop new health related initiatives.

The datasets look at a wide range of information; from characteristics of a population (e.g. numbers of people, births and deaths) to specific questions like rates of breastfeeding, smoking and bowel screening.

Jack says the new website will allow people to participate in public health. 

“Importantly, Tō Tātou Pūkete offers an opportunity to empower the communities of Southern to participate in health and lead change. It is readily available to anyone with web access,” she says.