Auckland Skin Project
What is the Serious Skin Infection Prevention Project?
The Glen Innes Serious Skin Infection Prevention Project was a community based project developed in response to a high rate of hospital admissions for skin infections (also known as cellulitis) within Glen Innes. The project was funded by Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) and run by a project team at Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS).
The project ran over two 12 month periods. Phase One ran from 1st February 2003 to 31st January 2004 (project managed by Cherry Morgan). Phase Two ran from 9th August 2004 to 31 December 2005 (project managed by Susan Miller). During Phase One issues contributing to cellulitis admissions were scoped. In Phase Two the key directions identified in the first year were built on.
The project goals were:
- To promote the importance of healthy skin
- To reduce the occurrence of serious skin infections among people of all ages in Glen Innes
The main focuses included:
- Raising awareness about the prevention of serious skin infections
- Increasing early detection, early intervention and treatment
- Building relationships with existing health providers
- Strengthening linkages between health workers in Glen Innes
- Working with other sectors to address associated environmental issues such as pests, housing and health, and access to services
Community Providers
The project contracted three community health providers, Ngati Whatua Ō Orakei Healthcare, Health Star Pacific and the Tongan Health Society. The community health providers primary activity was to home visit families in the project area. During the home visit the providers discussed the many factors which contribute to cellulitis, in two areas - personal knowledge about skin health and environmental factors that attribute to skin health. The community providers also worked with kohanga reo, language nests, churches and radio, to promote the importance of healthy skin.
The key health promotion messages in schools and centres were:
- The importance of hand hygiene (hand washing and drying)
- How to care for sores
- Preventing mosquito bites and breeding sites
The organisations the project worked with during the project included:
- Community health providers:
- Work & Income
- Housing New Zealand
- Plunket
- Health Promoting Schools
- Community Child Health and Disability Services (CCHADS) – ADHB
- The National Heart Foundation
- 5 + A day
- Auckland City Council
- HIPPY programme
- Glen Innes schools and early childhood centres
- Sisters of Mercy - Te Waipuna Puawai
- Glen Innes Injury Prevention Coalition – GIIPC
- Healthy Housing Programme
- Ruapotaka Marae
- GP clinics in project area
- Glen Innes library
- Food Safety Partnership
Resources
See the resource page for skin health resources produced by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service
Information booklet produced for the Glen Innes project
Newsletters
Skin Talk - December 2005
(pdf 776 KB)
Auckland Serious Skin Infection Prevention Project ends 31 December 2005. Final Skin Talk Newsletter - information on how to eradicate cockroaches, summer-time tips to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and resource information.
Skin Talk - August 2005
(pdf 773 KB)
End of phase two - continuation of project, school poster competition, the top four achievements of the project
Skin Talk - January 2005
(pdf 780 KB)
Deet based insect repellent provided, information booklet on skin infections, SPCA information, Auckland's inorganic collection
Skin Talk - November 2004
(pdf 785 KB)
Sub-contracting of three community groups, Work & Income assistance, Tongan Health Society's garden competition
Skin Talk - September 2004 (pdf 774 KB)
Introduction of new project team, initial target group (0-4 years), prevention and early intervention, available resources
Skin Talk - December 2003
(pdf 778 KB)
Fleas and mosquitoes, plus statistics and IV antibiotics
Skin Talk - September 2003
(pdf 784 KB)
Advice for people with athletes foot, plus prevention and early intervention messages
Skin Talk - June 2003
(pdf 244 KB)
What is the project? What are skin infections?
Garden Competition
Examples of gardens from the garden competition run by the Tongan Health Society as part of working with their communities.
By reducing inorganic rubbish from sections, not only were injury free spaces for children to play created, but also nutritious and colourful vegetable and flower gardens.