Whanganui's Heritage House was the humble venue for the parliamentary visit by Hon. Minister Shane Reti, his partner Yvonne and our Whanganui National Party list MP, Harete Hipango on Monday 5 July 2021.
Attended by an intimate group of approximately 20 people, Minister Reti openly discussed the current governments status on Health, including the new Health Reforms, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Mental Health and even the controversial He Puapua document.
Minister Reti has had an impressive career, including serving time in the military and as a Lecturer at Harvard University. He is also still a practicing GP which added to his credibility when discussing the current government's proposed changes and whether they are in the best interest of our country.
The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine is always a hot topic. Today's setting provided an opportunity to drive home the importance of the vaccination. Particularly if we want to protect our population from the Delta variant should it hit our borders?
Mental Health was another hot topic, with one attendee sharing his experience within the Mental Health system. Minister Reti acknowledged that the Mental Health system hasn't been great for decades and further discussed mechanisms that could help the already struggling sector, much of which included Health Improvement Practitioners, Health Coaches and Social Workers within General Practice.
Whilst the day had a very heavy political connotation, what was clear was Minister Reti's dedication to Health and how he would promote and adopt change if his party were today's government.
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