Waikato Settlement Centre becomes region's only ethnic Covid Care in the Community Hub

Pacific Island Community Trust K'aute Pasifika had a drive-through vaccination clinic at the Waikato Settlement Centre last year. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

The Settlement Centre Waikato in Hamilton has become one of 11 Care in the Community hubs in the region to look after Waikato's ethnic community members who are isolating with Covid-19.

Through the hubs, self-isolating individuals have the chance to access a number of clinical and welfare support including rapid antigen tests (RATs), free essential Covid-19 medications, cultural support, food, laundry, animal care, psychological support and transport to an isolation facility or hospital, as well as assistance obtaining subsidised sick leave.

Originally, there was only one Care in the Community Hub planned for Pasifika and Ethnic communities combined, but the Hamilton Multicultural Services Trust proposed a stand-alone hub for the region's ethnic communities.

The trust's community development and support manager Ellie Wilkinson says: "We understood Māori and Pasifika needs across the Waikato; however, other ethnic communities need to be resourced effectively with their own hub."

She says the Settlement Centre in Boundary Rd was able to pivot quickly to become one of the hubs as it had been running a vaccination clinic since mid-August 2021, and was already a DHB service provider, using its systems.

"We are the only ethnic health hub so we are proactively engaging with our communities to support the DHB and GP clinics' Covid-19 response ... We've done a huge amount of work to prepare ethnic communities for the Omicron outbreak, advising them to plan ahead with extra food supplies as well as having someone checking in on them."

Hamilton Multicultural Services Trust community development and support manager Ellie Wilkinson (right) with community connector co-ordinator Jackie Runciman. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

To access the clinical and welfare support, isolating individuals can either be referred to one of the hubs by the DHB after reporting a positive Covid-19 RAT or individuals can request help at the hub themselves.

Executive lead Waikato DHB Covid-19 directorate, Maree Munro, says ongoing relationships built on trust, respect and reciprocity have been an essential part of the DHB's community engagement efforts throughout the pandemic.

"Waikato is a diverse region and it has been essential to partner with local iwi, kaupapa Māori and Pacific providers as well as local community trusts to ensure we achieve the best possible outcome for all whānau in those communities."

To find out more about the role of Care in the Community Hubs click here.

Waikato's Care in the Community Hubs

• Te Whare Taumarutanga​ serving North Ruapehu District
• Pūtiki​ serving Waitomo District & Ōtorohanga District
• Kāwhia Moana serving Taharoa, Marokopa, Kinohaku, Ōparau, Āotea (South) and Kāwhia
• Pookekatia te Iwi serving the North Waikato​
• Waikato serving the western parts of Hamilton and up towards Nawton and Rotokauri
• Kirikiriroa Pacific Hub serving the Pasifika community in Hamilton and parts of Waikato, including Waitomo and Matamata-Piako Districts ​
• Waikato DHB is the central coordination hub
• Waikato Ethnic Hub serving ethnic communities throughout the Waikato DHB region
• Hauraki serving Thames-Coromandel District, Hauraki District and Te Aroha​
• South Waikato
• Ngāti Hauā​ serving Matamata, Waharoa, Morrinsville, Waitoa, Tauwhare, Matangi, Tamahere and Pukemoremore​