By Staff Engagement Leader , Maxine Griffiths .

Our annual Staff Service Recognition celebrations recently took place in Whakatāne on Thursday 19 May and in Tauranga on Tuesday 24 May 2016 .

The annual event , celebrates the service and loyalty of our longer serving employees . The pride with which the recipients receive their accolades and the warmth and support of attending family , friends , colleagues and managers is always evident on these afternoons .

As you ’ re aware , the BOPDHB Staff Engagement and Culture Workshop held in May , raised some key priorities for us around strengthening our staff relationships and bringing the organisation ’ s CARE values to life to make the BOPDHB a great place to work .

I couldn ’ t help but reflect , as our longer serving employees came forward to receive their milestone recognitions of 10 , 15 , 20 , 25 , 30 and 30 + years , on the wealth of experience and knowledge these people have which could assist the soon to be initiated consultative process around how we better engage with our staff and reflect our CARE values .

I ’ m sure what they have put into practice , over many years , around Compassion for their patients and each other , their “ will do ” Attitude and Responsiveness and their strive for Excellence in delivery of patient care , will materialise into contributions which will hugely assist in planning the way forward to enable a culture and atmosphere where employees value working within the organisation for many years . One team ’ s recipients this year , had a collective total of some 232 years experience !

The photos shown here are snapshots of some of those receiving their formal acknowledgements and of the informal photos taken with friends , colleagues and families as people gathered to mix and mingle over afternoon tea .

Community Dental Services Team – supporting Dental Therapist team members Patricia Dunseath ( 30 yrs ) and Linley Brown ( 42 yrs ).

Registered Nurse , Perioperative Department , Huub Segers ( 15 yrs ) with wife , Ferry .

The CCYHS team , Manager Martin Steinmann and Regional Community Services Nurse Leader Pam Barke with team members Lesley Abbot ( 30 yrs ) and Debbie Trenberth ( 15 yrs ).

Cake Cutter Riripeti Rio , Te Pou Kokiri , Regional Māori Health Services ( 40 yrs ), with Board Chair , Sally Webb .

Kitchen Assistants , Dorothy Thrupp ( 38 yrs ) and Iris Pooley ( 38 yrs ) with Board Chair , Sally Webb and Chief Executive , Helen Mason .

Orderly colleagues , Waikite Biddle ( 10 yrs ) and Sharmaine with Mahia ( 10yrs ) and Lynette .