"The advice provided in the numerous reports and published reviews produced recently can be implemented if the governance of the Whanganui DHB supports the recommendations."
Philippa Baker-Hogan is running for her sixth term on the board and said she was motivated by the work still required to improve health outcomes.
"The mental health of our communities is crucial and very concerning, including suicide, and we must learn, act and monitor the Whanganui Suicide Strategy which is crucially being community led and needs a strong preventative framework."
District councillor Josh Chandulal-Mackay is having a crack at the DHB for the first time.
He said the public healthcare system is one of New Zealand's most essential pieces of social infrastructure.
"Health is about more than sickness, it's about wellbeing. I'm pleased to see that central government is now focusing on this explicitly and recognising that health is about living in dignity, about participation, mental health, community, cultural fulfilment, as well as physical wellness," he said.
Elderly care and a growing ageing population are at the top of some candidates list as a priority.
Victoria Morris is standing to improve the welfare and care of the vulnerable.
"Future planning for our increasing population of people over 65 has now become urgent, with the first of the Baby Boomer generation now in their 70s," she said.
"By 2034, more than 1.2 million New Zealanders will be aged over 65, and it is estimated 110,000 will be living in our region. We are not prepared for this."
Morris said if appointed she would encourage more involvement and co-operation between councils and community groups to address this issue.
Matthew Edmonds said he is motivated to bring his independent governance skills to a team that gives the DHB heart.
"We need to embrace the aging population and put every effort into making sure good access is available to healthcare. I'd like more thought given to keeping our elderly in their own homes as long as possible with regular health provider contact."
A housing shortage is also a hot topic of conversation which some candidates say is causing health and wellbeing problems.
Christie Teki-Reu said she was passionate about fixing the rising suicide rate and the housing crisis which is affecting the most vulnerable.
"I also am a firm believer in prevention is better than a cure, I will also work hard to promote retaining the services that WDHB currently does provide and I can promise I will give it 200 per cent of my energy."
With a number of candidates standing again for another term, Judith MacDonald is standing for what will be her fourth term if elected.
She said she is standing to represent the creation of a seamless health system so people don't fall through the gaps, to champion inequalities for Māori, support people to stay well and active in their own homes and to join health other sectors to address poor housing and family harm and violence.
"I recommend we as health leaders are out there engaging and working with our communities, city and rural, and join with other sectors and do actions together to address some of these big issues."
And it is the idea of better integration and effective partnerships between health systems and agencies that is also a common theme for some candidates.
Graham Adams, who is seeking a third term, said the facts that presented themselves are high rates of deprivation and poor health status compared with other areas of New Zealand.
He believed Whanganui had a high and growing proportion of people over 65, a high and growing proportion of Māori, a small hospital serving a widely-dispersed but small population base and large travel distances to the bigger hospitals.
"Resolution of the issues which stem from these facts will involve collaboration with all the other community agencies including primary care and that process has commenced."
New candidate Tanya Brown was also in support of better integration between primary and secondary health systems.
"[We need to be] opening effective communication channels between service providers to identify challenges and effective solutions and work together to provide an improved system for our people with better access to services," she said.
Stuart Hylton, the current deputy chairman of the WDHB, is seeking a third term and said the DHB needed to be intentional and courageous in service partnerships and honest and transparent with the Ministry of Health.
"We must ensure our sub-regional arrangements through the central alliance are delivering our population the health care necessary especially in the areas of renal services, urology, cancer treatment and diagnosis, cardiology and ophthalmology."
For some board members standing again for another term, balancing the district health budget against services they want and need is an important issue they would like to help resolve.
Current board member Annette Main, who is running for a second term, said the board was constantly under pressure from the government to reduce their annual budget.
"I would like to see more discussion with the government about reducing this financial burden on smaller DHBs like ours," she said.
"Currently, the costs for treatment of our residents in a larger, more specialised hospital, come from our existing local budget, and it is very difficult to accurately predict what costs we may incur in any year."
Mary Bennett also sees funding as an important issue with resources being tight and little hope of any relief in the near future.
While she is hoping to celebrate diversity and share a different perspective, she believes another critical look needs to be taken as to where and how the district health dollar is being invested and begin to ask questions around needs and values.
"Focus on wellness - change the paradigm," she said.
Current board member Charlie Anderson was more focused on encouraging people to take a more personal and parental responsibility when it comes to serious health issues.
He said it was not just the people in high deprivation areas but older baby boomers, himself included, who wait out a health issue instead of going to the doctor, who then end up taking up valuable hospital beds.
"Go to your doctor early, don't wait until it's too late. Educate, start with the kids at school, they will take the correct information home and educate their parents."
Lynne Vinsen, a first-time candidate, had a similar view on people taking responsibility for their own health.
Vinsen said she is a big advocate for people growing and eating fresh vegetables, cooking healthy and exercising as much as possible.
"I will represent patients and patients' families, and ensure that their voices are heard at the highest levels.
"I will support initiatives that encourage people to take more responsibility for their own health, and support the families of people with high health or disability needs."
The Whanganui District Health Board uses the Single Transferable Vote (STV) voting system where candidates are ranked with numbers based on preferences.
Voting papers must be in by 12pm on October 12.
