Oranga Pepi
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Oranga Pepi is a Southern DHB initiative to provide you with a friendly source of information about new-born services that baby is entitled to receive when born.
Your LMC will discuss this information with you in the third trimester. This gives you time to make decisions on a couple of things when baby is born. You will be asked to advise who baby’s GP will be and which Well Child Tamariki Ora provider you wish to register with.
Baby’s new-born entitlements include:
- Baby’s hearing
You will be offered new-born hearing screening to check whether baby can hear well. Screening is usually done before you go home from the birthing unit, or, if you birth at home, we will arrange and appointment.
- Baby’s immunisation
Immunisation helps protect baby against a number of serious diseases. Having all the immunisations is important to fully protect your child. Baby will automatically registered with the National Immunisation Register (NIR) which is a computerised record of your baby’s immunisations.
- Baby’s doctor
Baby is entitled to free family doctor visits under the age of 13 years. You will be asked to advise which GP you have chosen for baby before you leave the birthing unit. Your chosen medical centre will ask you to complete an enrolment form when your first visit to ensure baby gets the care he or she is entitled to.
- Baby’s teeth
Healthy teeth are essential to a healthy childhood. Baby is entitled to free oral health care from birth to 17 years of age and will automatically be enrolled with the Community Oral Health Service (COHS). COHS will contact you for the first check when baby reaches six months of age, even if you can’t see baby’s teeth.
- Baby’s Well Child Tamariki Ora Nurse
Baby is entitled to receive free Baby’s Well Child Tamariki Ora services from around six weeks to five years of age. These include:
- Health and development assessments
- Care and support for families and whanau
- Health education.