NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Horowhenua Chronicle

Arohanui Hospice director of palliative care Simon Allan always wanted to be a doctor

Judith Lacy
By Judith Lacy
Judith Lacy is editor of the Manawatū Guardian·Manawatu Guardian·
17 May, 2021 07:05 AM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Arohanui Hospice director of palliative care Simon Allan says average cannot prevail in hospice.

Arohanui Hospice director of palliative care Simon Allan says average cannot prevail in hospice.

There's a misconception Arohanui Hospice is a sad, gloomy, depressive place, Dr Simon Allan says.

It's anything but, according to the director of palliative care. And he should know as in November he will have worked at Arohanui for 30 years.

The Palmerston North-based hospice turned 30 on May 4 and this week is National Hospice Awareness Week.

"Most people entering hospice discover it to be a happy, positive, encouraging work environment and most of the natives are friendly," Allan says.

He moved to Palmerston North from Scotland 32 years ago as a medical oncologist.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In his second year of being here, Allan was asked if he wanted to help support the hospice medical team as it started. He would also cover the medical director when he went on leave, but within 18 months found himself working as the medical director.

He'd always been keen on palliative care. As he moved from oncology, he did both for quite a long time. For the past seven years, he has been full time in palliative care.

"If you can find a job which satisfies you, it's a major part of life. Why change. And if it gives you opportunity in all sorts of ways, again why change."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Allan says Palmy is a wonderful city, an unknown gem, and great for bringing up kids.

He's also been motivated by fighting in the underdog space. Scots like to fight for the underdog and Palmerston North is not New Zealand's favourite place, he says.

As director of palliative care, he is the maintainer and guider of excellence and brings any new clinical innovation to the bedside and to the community.

A third of his time is spent leading and the rest of the time he's a practising clinician.

"The heart and soul of palliative care has not changed. The individual care given to our patients and families remains very high."

Arohanui has moved from a small number of patients benefitting from hospice involvement, something like six patients a week, to today 240 in a week.

The hospice has sustained the same number of in-patient beds - 10, as it had 30 years ago, but vastly increased the number of patients seen each week.

The hospice provides specialist palliative care for people with a life-limiting illness, not just cancer, in Manawatū, Tararua, Horowhenua and Rangitīkei.

Instead of a focus on beds, which would have been the case 30 years ago, the vision is to keep people feeling safe at home with the care hospice staff can give.

"The vision is to keep people safe in their chosen home environment so if patients and families feel safe at home it means we're doing a good job."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

There are only a few patients who do not want to die at home, and that is usually because they don't want the memory of the death to be with their nearest and dearest.

Changes in palliative care

Allan says the biggest two changes in palliative care over the past 30 years are in medication. The first is the use of battery-operated syringe pumps.

If someone is not able to take medication by mouth, the preferred route, then staff can offer pain, nausea and other forms of symptom relief through a syringe driver.

In the early days injections were administered on a regular basis, though staff moved quite quickly to clockwork pumps then to battery operated, sparing patients a lot of injections.

A plastic line under the skin will last for up to five days so patients have one jab every five days to put the line in instead of multiple jabs in a day, Allan says.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The second major change is the clever use of drugs - much more knowledge around the activity of different medications that can do a good job for symptom control.

"That means we've got better results from drugs and we've got less side effects, particularly with morphine."

Some of the 1500 walkers on the Woodville Lions Track ‘n’ Tunnel adventure in 2014, a fundraiser for Arohanui Hospice. Photo / Dave Murdoch
Some of the 1500 walkers on the Woodville Lions Track ‘n’ Tunnel adventure in 2014, a fundraiser for Arohanui Hospice. Photo / Dave Murdoch

Allan says the community buy-in over the years has been fantastic. About 48 per cent of the hospice's income needs to come from the community.

"As we have grown, the community has grown with us and has supported our effort year on year. Yes, it's getting harder but the community has shown fantastic support. "

Arohanui's reputation is "absolutely central" to its success.

"Your mum is every bit as important as my mum if it comes to dying. So the standard that we offer is the standard of each and every person that we see."

Average cannot prevail in hospice. "It is about excellence because every single person deserves that."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Allan says nurses are the heart and soul of the clinical workforce, absolutely vital in terms of the necessary hands-on care that patients require.

Allan grew up in Aberdeen and did his medical training in that city and in Edinburgh.

Childhood dream

His grandfather asked him when he was 6 what he wanted to be when he grew up. "And for reasons that I don't know, I said 'I want to be a doctor'. He said why and I said because I want to help people. That remains my basic motivation. "

In 2015, Allan was appointed an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his work in palliative care.

Another misconception about palliative care is if you go in to hospice you die. However, three quarters of Arohanui's patients who go into hospice go home again.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The in-patient beds are the intensive care part of palliative care where staff deal with very difficult symptoms or stresses on families.

Only 20 per cent of its patients will ever go into the in-patient unit. Eighty per cent are cared for in their home or aged care facility.

Another misconception is it's a difficult place to work. "No doubt it has its challenges but we find satisfaction in meeting people's needs in an honest and appropriate way."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Horowhenua Chronicle

Horowhenua Chronicle

Third murder charge laid after man found dead at Levin park

18 Dec 10:16 PM
Horowhenua Chronicle

Celebrating community and history as we say farewell

18 Dec 09:00 PM
Horowhenua Chronicle

From Foxton with love: Gazza’s pop-up cards bring joy

17 Dec 07:33 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Horowhenua Chronicle

Third murder charge laid after man found dead at Levin park

Third murder charge laid after man found dead at Levin park

18 Dec 10:16 PM

There have now been three men charged with murder.

Celebrating community and history as we say farewell

Celebrating community and history as we say farewell

18 Dec 09:00 PM
From Foxton with love: Gazza’s pop-up cards bring joy

From Foxton with love: Gazza’s pop-up cards bring joy

17 Dec 07:33 PM
Vicki says goodbye to local paper

Vicki says goodbye to local paper

17 Dec 07:23 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Horowhenua Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP