Rural Health Network Conference thrives in Wellington

The Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network Conference was in record-breaking form in 2024. Held in Wellington in April, it’s New Zealand’s premier event dedicated to rural health and wellbeing.

Conference attendance was up 30% to 512 delegates. The number of presenters and abstracts leapt to 70 from 40 in previous years. The sale of exhibition stands also grew, and there was a huge increase in social media engagement.

Dr Grant Davidson, chief executive, says the success was a team effort. “We credit the growth of attendance to consultation with a conference committee. Together, we identified key issues in rural health so topics this year were really resonant: workforce, recruitment, education, equity, access, and technology. This year nearly everyone attended in person, with hardly any virtual participants. Connecting in person is key, as it is powerful to have these voices together.”

Grant says choosing Wellington as the host city also helped given Hauora Taiwhenua’s strong advocacy focus. “There is no better place than Wellington if you want Ministers and change-makers to attend. Matt Doocey, as both the Minister for Tourism and Mental Health and Associate Minister for Health, was the ideal person to open the conference, given the fit of his portfolios.” The Minister’s attendance also garnered national media interest. This amplified the conference’s message further.

Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre proved a great, practical venue. There were simultaneous sessions held seamlessly across six rooms. The ability to have the exhibition hall at the centre of the conference venue worked well. Attendees were able to make the most of the easy interaction with the stands. And stand holders have commented on how the design drove engagement and kept the energy high.

Tākina’s name was fitting for an organisation whose work is generational and spread throughout Aotearoa, Grant noted. Tākina is a metaphor for the wind taking the voices of change across the miles and generations. “Sustainability is ingrained in our organisation. Having a venue that offers sustainable credentials was important to us and our attendees.”

Grant says that Wellington also proved a hassle-free city to stage the conference. The airport is only a short trip away and the city is easy to get around on foot.

“Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network has a big focus on bringing family to the conference. And there’s lots of good family-friendly accommodation nearby including apartment hotels. We welcomed babies and toddlers at the conference. Attendees received discounts for family activities which were super easy to access by showing their lanyard or conference app.

“Conference Innovators, our PCO, were also integral in creating this record-breaking event. We have worked with them for many years, and they continually deliver a quality conference.”