CEO Newsletter

As a ‘for purpose’ charitable trust with over 60 years of caring, we don’t have shareholders which allows us to provide equal access to quality aged care services, invest in our facilities, our services and our teams to take continue taking great care of older people.

As it is the season, we taking the opportunity to do some Spring sprucing. Our gardening team are out and about making sure our gardens are an inviting space for our residents and families to enjoy the sunshine. We also have a number of projects underway at selected facilities, to renovate kitchens and bathrooms, refresh paint and drapes and improve lighting to get ready for the warmer months.

Earlier this month I was delighted that the NZ Dementia Foundation launched their Dementia STARs training programme, which was proudly supported by a grant from the CHT Aged Care Fund. These free educational resources provide an accessible and engaging person-centred approach to caring for people living with dementia, with the goal of improving the lives of people living with dementia and the wonderful people who care for them.

The Board of Trustees visited our three facilities in the Bay of Plenty recently, meeting some of our team and our residents, as well as seeing first-hand the improvements made following recent investment in each location. We reflected that whilst each of our facilities has its own individual feel and connection with the local community, light comfortable spaces, places to gather, and engaging, attentive staff are a common thread.

Carriann Hall
Chief Executive
CHT Healthcare Trust

Today marks the end of my first month as the Chief Executive of CHT.

It is an honour to have been welcomed to an organisation with almost 60 years history of caring. The commitment to providing ‘great care for older people’ is a constant thread running throughout CHT and it is clear that this guiding principle anchors CHT in all it does.

I have been making my way around our sixteen units and have enjoyed meeting staff, residents and their families. I have been moved, engaged and inspired by the stories shared by residents and families of their life and their care; and by staff of their career journeys in CHT and care successes. I have also enjoyed seeing the connection with the community, which is a strong part of CHTs ethos.

I was pleased to attend the official opening of Acacia Park. The majority of our sites have benefited from the results of efforts over a number of years to grow, refurbish and redevelop our facilities. These investments are a tangible demonstration of how our residents benefit from CHTs charitable status, which allows us to reinvest surpluses back into care. These changes to facilities have not only improved the comfort of our residents, but through our design, which has suites as communities around lounges, they also enable companionship with fellow residents.

I look forward to more opportunities to connect over the coming months as I visit sites and attend residents meetings. Looking forward, there is more mahi to be done with further developments and refurbishments on the horizon and I will keep you updated on these. I am also keen that CHT continues to build on its track record of ‘growing our own’ and encourage our dedicated and experienced staff to develop their caring career with CHT.

Further information on CHT is provided in our Annual Report click here.

Carriann Hall
Chief Executive
CHT Healthcare Trust

CHT APPOINTS CARRIANN HALL AS NEW CEO

CHT Chairman Graeme Edmond has announced that Carriann Hall has been appointed as CHT’s new CEO. Carriann replaces Max Robins, CHT’s long serving CEO who retired at the end of 2020.

Carriann Hall joins CHT from the Hawkes Bay DHB where she holds the position of Executive Director Financial Services, responsible for a broad portfolio during her tenure, including Finance, Facilities, Procurement Supply Chain, Organisational Risk and Compliance, Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Human Resources and Privacy.

Mr Edmond commented that “Carriann has extensive health sector experience at senior management levels, both in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, complemented with senior management financial services experience in the private sector”.

“The Board was impressed with Carriann’s considerable experience together with her strong, “people focused” leadership style and we look forward with confidence and excitement to the next phase of CHT’s journey under Carriann’s leadership”. Carriann Hall will commence her role with CHT on Monday 5 July 2021.

Graeme Edmond
Chairman
CHT

Welcome to our first CEO newsletter of 2021 – it’s certainly been a busy start to the year as I settle into the role of Acting CEO, following in the footsteps of Max Robins who lead CHT Healthcare for over two decades. My role as Chief Financial Officer at CHT started in 2020 and gave me some excellent experience with the ins and outs of the organisation, and I have expanded my knowledge tremendously since I took on the Acting CEO role.

Our senior management team has also had a period of transition but is back to full strength as we welcome Wynonna Faustino (former Unit Manager at CHT Peacehaven) and Helen Franklin as Area Managers.

I’ve been very impressed with the resilience and adaptability of our 16 facilities as we moved in and out of COVID-19 lock downs over the past couple of months. The commitment and compassion of our staff to ensure our residents are safe and cared for has been nothing short of inspiring and we thanked them for their hard work at our annual CHT Foundation Day on 22 March with a small token of our appreciation. We also appreciate the ongoing support and co-operation of our residents’ families during the lockdowns.

My visits to the CHT facilities in the Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions this year have highlighted to me again how important it is for us to continually look at ways to reinvest our surplus into improving our Units. The upgrades made to many of our facilities over the past 18 months have been transformative and we have a number of projects scheduled for this year to continue our momentum in the property development area.

Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable Easter.

Stuart Tabuteau
Acting Chief Executive
CHT Healthcare Trust

URGENT COVID-19 UPDATE:
Level 4 lock down – all CHT Facilities

Dear Family Member / Whanau of Resident in CHT Facility,

In response to the Prime Minister’s escalation this afternoon of the national alert level for COVID-19 to level three today, then to level 4 tomorrow, we are placing all CHT facilities into complete lock down to protect the health of our residents and staff, effective immediately. You can find out more about the Prime Minister’s announcement here.

Appropriate levels of care will continue to be delivered and GP consultations will be conducted via video or phone unless urgently required.

Please do not attempt to visit any relatives or staff as you will be turned away. Likewise residents are not permitted to leave the Facility. Should you have any questions, please contact the Unit Manager at your CHT Facility.

We will continue to update you as information becomes available from the Ministry of Health. You can view the Ministry of Health’s latest updates here.

Thank you for your patience at this time, and for helping to protect our residents and staff.

Yours sincerely,

Max Robins Chief Executive