4 Apr 2020

Plunket cuts back on services to prioritise needs during lockdown

9:13 pm on 4 April 2020

Plunket is temporarily reducing some of its services to prioritise those most in need and allow staff to help with the response to Covid-19.

Baby feet

Baby feet Photo: 123RF

Plunket chief executive Amanda Malu said all of the organisation's face-to-face services have been suspended during the lockdown.

Its Well Child services will be provided by phone or video conferencing.

All families with newborns up to three months, as well as Māori and Pacific families, and those with longer-term needs will be prioritised for that.

"We hope this new prioritised service will help address inequities that might arise during this pandemic and ensure our service response is targeted at those who need us most during this time," Malu said.

PlunketLine will continue to be available 24/7 to all families who need support.

Online parenting education programmes and virtual community groups and other forms of parenting support will also be available.

Temporarily reducing the Well Child service meant staff could be redeployed elsewhere in the health system.

"We have a large health workforce and we already have a number of Plunket staff redeployed to support Healthline, PlunketLine, community testing clinics and other essential health services across the country, and we only see the need for this growing," Malu said.

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