Community Impact Report 2022
We’re proudly here for Aotearoa New Zealand. Our vision is for New Zealanders to live healthier years for longer by supporting good health and wellbeing.
Caring for our communities
Southern Cross aims to make a significant and positive contribution to our country and its people. Our responsible business framework deeply influences how we work towards the fulfilment of our purpose.
It sets out our vision, commitment and focus areas under three pillars - our social impact, our care for the environment, and our commitment to the ethos of our group.
It endorses the work we do now while challenging us to explore ways to do even more.
Our Community Impact Report gives us the opportunity to look back at how we have supported our communities over the past year and share how we plan to help New Zealanders to live well for longer in the future.
Hospitals
Joint venture Southern Cross Central Lakes Hospital opened in January, as did the expansions to Southern Cross New Plymouth Hospital. Joint venture Southern Cross Silverdale Hospital is due to open in Q4 FY23, and the redevelopment of Southern Cross Wellington Hospital is anticipated to begin in December 2022. The developments ensure local communities have increased access to quality healthcare services.
Better '22
As of 30 September, 10,703 Southern Cross Health Insurance members had taken up a free CareHQ consult, 12,775 Raise counselling sessions were conducted, and 31,901 free ‘flu vaccination vouchers were ordered, as part of the Better ’22 campaign to support members’ health and wellbeing.
Employee benefits
Healthcare has significantly enhanced its employee benefits package to recognise the value and care the team provides for patients. All permanent employees will receive unlimited mental health and physical sickness leave (trialled for 12 months), an extra day’s annual leave (Nurses Appreciation Day), and significant pay increases for frontline clinical teams.
National Consumer Council (NCC)
The NCC provides an independent voice to champion the patient experience in our hospitals. This year it has supported the refresh of patient resources, our patient satisfaction survey and contributed to important work on patient experience from a te ao Māori perspective.
Travel Insurance claims paid
Travel Insurance was with its customers as the world began to open up again after Covid-19. The business insured 60,600 New Zealand travellers in FY22 and paid New Zealand customers $1.45m in travel claims.
Growing healthy minds
Since 2020, when Southern Cross started to fund the Pause Breathe Smile mind health programme, more than 93,000 children in 348 primary and intermediate schools have learned effective ways to deal with life’s ups and downs.
Reducing plastic waste
Southern Cross Healthcare saved 9.4 tonnes of plastic from going to landfill in FY22, helping to preserve our precious environment.
18,627 safe nights
Pet Insurance is very proud to be a partner of Pet Refuge, New Zealand’s first shelter dedicated to temporarily housing pets affected by domestic violence. This year, Pet Refuge has provided 15,070 safe nights, helped 143 pets and their families, and reunited or rehomed 106 pets. Since the shelter opened, Pet Refuge has provided 18,627 safe nights, helped 220 pets and their families, and reunited or rehomed 178 pets.
Te Ao Māori
The Southern Cross group continues its commitment to deepening its knowledge of te Ao Māori, providing te ara reo Māori classes to employees, celebrating Matariki and te wiki o te reo Māori, and offering the Te Kaa Māori cultural competency programme to our people.
Healthy Futures
This year, the Southern Cross group launched the 2022 Healthy Futures Report: the biennial study analysing New Zealanders’ attitudes to physical, emotional and social health and wellbeing. The report helps us understand what matters most to New Zealanders.
Multiple award wins
Health Insurance was voted New Zealand’s most trusted health insurer for a sixth year at the Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brands Awards, while Travel Insurance won Gold for the fourth year in a row at the Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards and Travel and Health Insurer of the Year at the International Travel Insurance Journal (ITIJ) Awards.
More healthy smiles
To date, 6,000 people have benefited from necessary dental treatment as a result of the Smile NZ Free Dental Days programme. This joint initiative between the Southern Cross Health Trust and the New Zealand Dental Association is now in its seventh year.
All figures relate to the financial year ended 30 June 2022, unless stated otherwise.
With you, New Zealand
Community Impact Report 2022
