Nau mai, haere mai, welcome to Southern Health!

We are proud to introduce Southern Health, a new all-in-one website for services in the Southern district.
 
Developed in partnership with Community Health Council, its aim is to make it easier for people to understand our health system, and find the health services they need.
 
Thank you to all the more than 500 health providers who have provided information, to help make finding care even more accessible. 
 
With this new website comes a new logo – available for those providing care in the Southern district to present themselves as part of this wider health system.
 
The logo represents the golden landscapes of Otago, the greens of Southland, and the Clutha Mata-Au river that – like the health services in our district – reaches from from mountains to the coast. It is underscored by a kiwaha gifted through our kaumatua: He hauora, he kuru pounamu – good health is a great treasure.
 
Find out more in the Questions and Answers below – and enjoy exploring the new website!

Why have we created the Southern Health logo and website?

• We heard that many users did not know, or understand, or particularly care, whether a service was organised or funded by Southern DHB, WellSouth, or any other provider.
   
• What was more important was finding the right care when they need it, and trust that all the health providers are working together as a team to provide the best possible care.
   
• Across the Southern health system, programmes of work have been underway with a vision of creating a more integrated, accessible health care system.
   
• In line with this vision, instead of creating a new Southern DHB website, we wanted to create a one-stop-shop that reflects a more connected health system, and makes it easier for users to find the help they need.
   
• Developing this website and logo are actions in the Primary and Community Care strategy.

 
As part of this, the Southern Health logo is intended to offer a way to better connect health providers across the district, and show we are all part of the same team of qualified professionals aiming to provide the best care to our patients.

The logo will be available to all providers supported by WellSouth or the DHB for use on their own materials to show they are part of the Southern health community. The Alliance Leadership Team will also consider requests from other health care providers.

Together, we are all part of the Southern Health system.

How was the logo and website developed? Who was consulted?

This project was:

• Overseen by a steering committee with members from Southern DHB, WellSouth and the Community Health Council.

• Drawing upon feedback from the ‘Southern Future – it’s up to us’ listening sessions in 2016. This generated over 3000 pieces of feedback and included input from people across the whole Southern Health district. 

• Part of the Primary and Community Care Strategy. This included the call for a more technology enabled health system and more coordinated information about health care. 

From all of this input, the logo was developed in consultation with the Community Health Council, Alliance Leadership Team (representing health care providers from across the whole health system), Executive Leadership Team and Iwi Governance Committee.

The website was designed and developed by Sparks Interactive, and the information about health care providers compiled by Healthpoint. Thanks also to Firebrand for supporting the development of content for the site.

What does the Southern health logo and kiwaha represent? The colours of the koru represent the golden landscapes of Otago and the green hills of Southland.   The koru forms symbolise growth, nurturing and well-being.   Between the two koru, the blue line stands for the mighty Clutha Mata-Au river. This carves a path through the northern and southern regions of the district, representing the journey from the mountains to the coast, and the reach of our health services.  Put together, the logo represents our vision of a health system that is professional, contemporary and where all elements work in harmony.  These symbols are underlined by an important kiwaha: He hauora, he kuru pounamu. Gifted through our kaumatua, we are called to remember that ‘good health is a great treasure’. We honour this through our care for one another.

Who can use the Southern Health logo?

The Southern health logo can be applied on the materials of:

• All those health care providers holding a health services contract with Southern DHB or WellSouth

AND

• Others who are members of the Southern health system but do not hold a contract with Southern DHB or WellSouth, with approval of Southern DHB and WellSouth. Approval would be recommended by the Alliance Leadership Team - more information can be found in the brand guidelines here 

The logo would not replace any organisation’s existing logo, but could sit alongside it, to show they are a member of a wider Southern Health team of quality health care providers.

If your organisation holds a health services contract with WellSouth or Southern DHB, you can download the logo and brand guidelines here.

For others wishing to enquire about using the logo, please contact website@southerndhb.govt.nz

Does this mean Southern DHB will add the new logo to all its existing documents?

• Yes, although not necessarily everything, not strictly, and not immediately.
   
• Southern Health is to complement our existing logos, not to replace the Southern DHB logo and identity.
   
• We will progressively move to having this logo on more of our materials as they are updated.
   
• Our priority is documents like brochures and posters that are shared with patients. This is a large exercise, and a wider programme of work is needed to work through this.

Will the Southern DHB and WellSouth websites continue to exist?

• The new Southern Health website will ultimately replace the Southern DHB website, although there is still some transition to be done.
   
• The WellSouth website will continue, but will focus on information for and services to primary care providers.
   
• Information for patients about GPs in the community can now be found on the Southern Health website.

I have online information that links to the Southern DHB website - what should I do?

The old Southern DHB website will continue to exist for some time, to give you the chance to update links. However, it won't be updated as regularly, and pages will progressively be moved. Please take a look at the new website and update the links. If you can't find the page to link to, please contact website@southerndhb.govt.nz

I’ve spotted something that’s not right on the website - how can this be changed?

Thanks for noticing – while we have done our best to have as much accurate information as possible, we have no doubt the website will continue to be improved over time.

• In the Southern Health A-Z section, all the information about health care providers is managed by HealthPoint at www.healthpoint.co.nz  
  Individual health care providers look after this information, so you should contact them directly if something is not right.

For information elsewhere on the website, contact website@southerndhb.govt.nz