Battling the revolving door of empty stomachs - inside Whangārei's Emergency Department

Over a third of Whangārei’s Emergency Department (ED) patients lack regular access to enough safe and nutritious food according to new research.

Dr Stephanie Richling has been working on a solution for two years, the first phase was the research project, and this month marks the beginning of phase two, putting these findings into action.

“I saw this as an area that I felt passionate about and wanted to be able to help people.”

Dr Richling and social worker Andrea Blain have led an initiative that educates patients, connecting them with food resources.

While working in Seattle, a colleague’s research made Dr Richling aware of the prevalence of this issue amongst ED patients.

She partnered with other peers to create a system supporting ED patients returning home without enough food.

Just before the program started, Covid-19 hit, and Dr Richling moved to Whangārei thinking her work would cease.

However, she was surprised to find that patients still had similar issues to those in the US.

These experiences, coupled with local businesses closing and the cost-of-living crisis, inspired a new study.

After a year and a half of research, Dr Richling and her research partner published their findings.

The results show that 37% of ED patients lack access to food, compared with the United Nations New Zealand estimate of 15%.

For those in dire situations, Dr Richling and Blain have partnered with Woolworths Regents to provide a large bag of nutritional food for patients leaving the ED.

Blain says she’s driven by addressing a vital need for patients in the days after they’ve left the ED, which the hospital doesn’t often have the resources to do.

“That fuels me like the passion, that we’re actually really helping people in a practical way."

As of April, every ED room in Whangarei had installed posters with the numbers to call for help accessing healthy food.

If patients request help Blain will call them within the week, to check in and connect with resources such as Work and Income (WINS) or food banks.

For those needing emergency help, the hospital will provide a food parcel. It has sufficient food for a family and enables the patients to get back on their feet during the first few days out of the ED.

This month at least 13 parcels have been used by patients in need.

“We may need to adjust our numbers, adjust some of the foods because it’s a learning curve.

“It’s very early days and we’ve been really encouraged by the uptake this month.”

Blain says the response is positive “People are extremely grateful, I think they’re quite surprised.”