Heritage Talk - Northland Health Services over the Past 150 years

Next date: Thursday, 27 March 2025 | 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

A district nurse weighs a baby outside, while a group of adults and children watch. Location: Waihara gumfields in Northland. Photo taken by Norwood brothers in 1930s. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22704801

An discussion of the history of Northland's medical services over the past 150 years and its comparatively brief pioneer history placed against the background of long-standing Māori settlements.

What were pre-colonial times like regarding health?
Pioneer health practices.
The integration (or not) of both cultures and the effects of health issues and medical advances on the population’s longevity and quality of life since then.

Image above: A district nurse weighing a baby with a group of adults and children watching in the Waihara gumfields, Northland. Photo taken by Norwood brothers in the 1930s. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington. Ref: 22704801.

Dr. Kathryn McDonald.

About Dr. Kathryn McDonald

Dr. McDonald graduated from Auckland Medical School in 1983 and quickly found her calling in the North. Her first summer tour of the region left a lasting impression, drawing her to the people, landscape and sea. She began her medical career as a house surgeon at Whangārei Hospital, gaining invaluable experience. After further studies in Auckland, she returned to the North to specialise in Obstetrics before finishing her GP training in rural Scotland.

A GP for over 32 years, Dr. McDonald has spent most of her immensely fulfilling career in rural Northwest Auckland. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. McDonald served as a GP liaison for Auckland Hospital for 25 years, bridging primary and secondary care. Now semi-retired, she continues to practice part-time and remains on call.

Passionate about the history of medicine, Dr. McDonald is particularly fascinated by the impact of disease on global events and how medical advancements have significantly improved and prolonged our lives compared to those of our ancestors.