Auckland Women's Health Council

24/05/2026

𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬

Recent research has offered hope to the one in ten women that suffer endometriosis in Aotearoa New Zealand. A University of Otago study, published in April this year, has found that the use of medicinal cannabis has benefits for some New Zealanders suffering the severe pain of endometriosis. Participants in the research experienced reduced levels of pain and improvements in quality of life, including improved sleep and reduced anxiety about their health, during the three-month study in which some were prescribed CBD* oil and other were prescribed CBD oil and cannabis flower.

Read more in our latest Newsletter https://tinyurl.com/22enphc5

23/05/2026

𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐦'𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/kiwi-mum-on-missing-subtle-signs-of-ovarian-cancer/YIV3HHN6TBHX7EM5Z73UK2YZGI/

Too many women/wāhine with ovarian cancer are diagnosed at late stage. Many go to their doctors insisting that something is wrong multiple times. Many go to their GPs 5 to 10 or more times before their symptoms are taken seriously and they are diagnosed. Nearly half of diagnoses are through emergency or unplanned hospital admissions. Many women are told they are too young for ovarian cancer; one-third of Māori and Pacific wāhine are diagnosed under 45. Something has got to change. Read the Ovarian Cancer Foundation NZ report and find out what needs to be done.

https://ovariancancerfoundation.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/WEB_State-of-ovarian-cancer-report_pages.pdf

In New Zealand, about 85% of women are diagnosed at stage three or four.

22/05/2026

𝐏𝐂𝐎𝐒 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐌𝐎𝐒

Auckland Women's Health Council is pleased that the change from PCOS to PMOS has been adopted. Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome is a far more holistic description of the condition. The name change should improve health professionals’ understanding of the condition. This is particularly important for GPs, as they are usually the first health practitioner that women seek help from. Years of research showed that the term PCOS was confusing and in many cases harmful to women, and potentially hampered diagnosis.

See the article in the NZ Herald and in our latest Newsletter:
https://www.womenshealthcouncil.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AWHC_Newsletter_May_2026-C.pdf

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/pcos-now-pmos-new-zealand-advocates-say-clearer-name-will-speed-up-diagnosis/4Q3M3SBVIBH4XODRVMFMB4QPSE/

For many women, that delay in diagnosis can have serious long-term consequences.

20/05/2026

Our public health system is stretched to the limit and grossly underfunded, understaffed and under-resourced, putting the health and safety of both health consumers and the health workforce at risk.

Ahead of Budget 2026, Kaitiaki Hauora has released new analysis on what is actually needed to maintain Aotearoa New Zealand’s public health system.

The report examines:
• how much is needed to meet cost and demographic pressures
• healthcare funding pressures
• workforce shortages
• international comparisons
• access to care
• what current funding levels are likely to mean in practice

Read the Report here:
https://kaitiakihauora.nz/read-our-report

20/05/2026

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰!

https://www.womenshealthcouncil.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AWHC_Newsletter_May_2026-C.pdf

09/05/2026

New Zealanders are literally sick to death of health being a political football. How can this Government fail to understand that the greatest wealth in this country is for its citizens to have health and well-being. Only then can we all contribute and raise productivity and achievement.

Experienced GPs are warning that primary care in Aotearoa is reaching breaking point, with doctors reporting unpaid work, burnout, and a funding model they say is no longer sustainable. Now some are actively discouraging medical students from becoming GPs at all. With Budget 2026 less than three

07/05/2026

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐎𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐲, an important opportunity to start conversations and raise awareness about ovarian cancer and its impact.

Learn the symptoms and encourage the women in your life to see their doctor if they experience any for four weeks or more!

30/04/2026

Thinking about the thousands of New Zealanders injured by surgical mesh, today and everyday until mesh harm is adequately addressed and no-one else suffers the devastating harm it can cause.

A Time to Reflect
This day comes every year. It is not just a day to raise awareness; it is a time to remember those who have experienced harm and whose lives have been shattered, changed forever.

A message for those working behind the scenes 'addressing mesh harm': What have we learned? Are we truly doing enough to keep people safe?

Today is International Surgical Mesh Awareness Day.

27/04/2026

𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞!

Have you experienced AI in healthcare? Either as a patient/health consumer or as a health professional. AI is increasingly being used in healthcare in New Zealand and we want to hear about your experiences - good and bad.

I am researching an article for the Auckland Women's Health Council Newsletter and want to find out about your experiences with the use of AI in healthcare. Feel free to DM Sue or email [email protected]. Your stories will be kept confidential; if we want to use your experience in the article we can use a pseudonym and will send you the article to read before we publish.

08/04/2026

𝐖𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFkNtyjHnNI
If you thought you knew how bad things have got in our public health system, you would probably be horrified to listen to the video recording of the Kaitiaki Hauora open hui held in Wellington on Tuesday the 7th of April, because it is worse than you thought.

This is essential viewing/listening for anyone who works in or on the periphery of the health system, or is a patient/health consumer, especially if you or anyone in your whānau has have high or complex health needs.

Really it is essential viewing/listening for anyone who might have any need to seek care in our public health system in the next few years. The speakers were brilliant – impressively articulate about what Aotearoa New Zealand faces at a critical point in our changing health landscape. The kōrero was hugely revealing about what is going on in our public health system and where the current Government appears to be heading with apparent moves to privatise a health system that was once the envy of other nations.

Aotearoa New Zealand’s public health system is facing a definingmoment.Over 2026, public healthcare will be under intense scrutiny asdecisions are made about...