Staff Wellbeing

At Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury we make it easy for staff to exercise and look after their personal health.

Subsidised Gym Memberships for Staff

Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury has negotiated discounted gym membership agreements for staff with three Timaru providers:

  • Caroline Bay Trust Aoraki Centre (CBay)
  • Performance Training Company
  • Snap Fitness
Employee Assistance Programme

Six sessions of free counselling with a qualified professional are available for staff experiencing difficulties. This is to help employees overcome personal difficulties that are affecting, or have the potential to affect their work. This service is also available for staff who are experiencing any form of family violence.

Bikewise Month

Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury supports staff to cycle to work bike stands are provided at each Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury site.

Lets Go Walking

Eight walking routes that start and finish at Timaru Hospital have been mapped out and are available for staff. Each route is a different length, with some planned to fit within a short lunch break.

Staff Participation in Other Events

Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury staff are encouraged to take part in:

  • the Hadlow 2 Harbour
  • the South Island Masters Games held in Timaru bi-annually
  • the South Island Charity Bike Ride
  • the Cancer Society Relay for Life
Free influenza vaccinations for Staff

Free influenza vaccinations are offered to staff each winter.

Nutrition Policy for Cafe/Vending Machines

Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury nutrition policy requires most food on site to be healthy. The staff cafe provides staff with a good range of healthy, nutritious and affordable food, prepared fresh each day.

Breastfeeding Room for Staff

Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury has a spacious room furnished with comfortable lazy boy chairs and a couch and cushions situated on Level 5. This room can only be accessed with a swipe card which allows for privacy. There is a fridge for appropriate safe breast milk storage and hygiene facilities. There is also access to a changing table and toys.  Art work donated by a previous staff member decorates the room. This facility is available to all staff members 24 hours a day.

Health and Safety Training

Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury offers staff regular training on health and safety concerns, including fire safety and manual handling training. Accidents in the workplace are monitored and investigated.

Staff Accommodation at Lake Tekapo

Thanks to donations over many years, Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury has been able to maintain holiday accommodation for staff at Lake Tekapo. Two units are available at minimal cost for staff needing a break. At busy times of the year like school holidays, a ballot is drawn to allocate the units.