Two Peter Snow Memorial Award Winners Presented At The National Rural Health Conference 2024

The legacy of Dr Peter Snow, a revered figure in rural health, continues to inspire as the recipients of the Peter Snow Memorial Awards for 2023 and 2024 were announced at the National Rural Health Conference 2024.

Rhoena Davis has been recognised as the recipient for 2023, while Kyle Eggleton has been awarded the honour for 2024. Despite there being no Conference in 2023 following the disruption of COVID, the decision was made to honour the work of nominees during that time.

Both recipients were nominated for their longstanding service and dedication to rural health.

Rhoena Davis has been honoured with the Peter Snow Memorial Award for 2023. Her exemplary service to Māori health, rural healthcare delivery and nursing leadership all merge to form an unwavering dedication to rural health and the vulnerable populations represented within.

As a Māori board member of the College of Nurses Aotearoa and a member of the New Zealand Nursing Council Komiti Māori, Rhoena has played a pivotal role in shaping nursing leadership and advocating for Māori health at local, regional, and national levels.

At the forefront of her leadership is Aronuku, the Māori caucus of the College of Nurses Aotearoa, of which Rhoena serves as the current chair. Aronuku, alongside its counterpart Arorangi, embodies the holistic approach to nursing, acknowledging, and addressing the diverse needs of communities within Aotearoa.

Rhoena’s influence extends beyond her roles within nursing organisations. She has led initiatives to develop cultural safety competencies, advocated for funding and policy changes to support Nurse Practitioners, and worked tirelessly to address inequities in healthcare delivery, particularly in rural and remote areas.

Her commitment to advancing nursing excellence is evident through her involvement in various national groups, including the National Nurse Leaders Group, Ora Taiao, and the Federation of Primary Health Care. Rhoena’s leadership is characterised by her passion for primary care and her advocacy for vulnerable populations, making her a highly respected figure within the medical community.

Beyond nursing organisations, Rhoena sits on the Hauora Taiwhenua Board as Deputy Chair, where her expertise has been influential in shaping the organisation’s foundation. Furthermore, Rhoena has been part of initiatives aimed at actualising the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi – partnership, protection, and participation – through her position as Deputy Chair of Te Rōpū Ārahi.

Rhoena Davis' relentless pursuit to improve Māori health outcomes and her steadfast commitment to nursing leadership make her a deserving recipient of the Peter Snow Award. Her exemplary service reflects a deep commitment to fostering equitable healthcare delivery and improving patient outcomes.

Kyle Eggleton was announced as the recipient of the 2024 Peter Snow Memorial Award, with his contributions reflecting a persistent commitment to improving healthcare access and outcomes for rural communities, embodying the spirit of service and leadership in the healthcare sector.

After graduating with a medical degree from the University of Auckland, Kyle returned to Northland to work as a rural GP, driven by a deep understanding of the impacts of rurality and social deprivation on community health.

His commitment to addressing these disparities led him to join a Māori health provider, where he spearheaded community-led projects focused on improving health equity.

Kyle’s clinical practice informs his academic roles - as a teacher for medical and health students, as a researcher leading medical education and rural health projects, and as a leader, the latter culminating in his appointment as Associate Dean (Rural) at Auckland University.

Through this role, Kyle’s achievements include establishing a rural stream for medical students and implementing admission schemes to professional health programs for rural-origin students. His dedication to rural healthcare extends to designing curricula and interprofessional programs, aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery in underserved areas.

The feedback from his students is always incredibly positive with many speaking about his advocacy, compassion and hope for rural health workforce development and the potential impact on rural communities and their wellbeing.

In addition to his medical degree, Kyle holds Masters degrees in medical science, and Public Health, and a PhD, which explored the concept of measuring the quality of Māori health providers using a Kaupapa Māori aligned methodology.

"We are delighted to recognise Kyle Eggleton and Rhoena Davis for their exceptional contributions to rural health," said Dr Fiona Bolden, Chair, Hauora Taiwhenua.

"Through their remarkable impacts, Rhoena and Kyle have demonstrated that dedication knows no bounds when it comes to serving rural communities. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to them both."

About the award

The Peter Snow Memorial Award was set up to honour the life and work of Dr Peter Snow who passed away in March 2006. Dr Snow was a rural general practitioner based in Tapanui. As well as caring for his patients Peter was Past-President of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and was a member of the Otago Hospital Board and District Health Board. He was enthusiastic and active in seeking knowledge to improve the health and safety of rural communities. His work contributed to the identification of the chronic fatigue syndrome, and he was influential in raising safety awareness on issues related to farming accidents. The Peter Snow Memorial Award celebrates Peter Snow’s contribution to rural communities as well as recognising an individual for their outstanding contribution to rural health in either service, health research or innovation.

Previous winners include:

• Inaugural winner Dr Ron Janes (2007)
• Nurse Jean Ross and Dr Pat Farry (2008 – jointly awarded)
• Dr Gary Nixon (2009)
• Dr Tim Malloy (2010)
• Dr Martin London (2011)
• Nurse Kirsty Murrell-McMillan (2012)
• Dr Graeme Fenton and NZIRH CE Robin Steed (2013)
• Kim Gosman and Dr Janne Bills (2014)
• Dr Katharina Blattner (2015)
• Dr Ivan and Leonie (RNS) Howie (2016)
• Drs Chris Henry and Andrea Judd (2017)
• Dr Keith Buswell (2018)
• Dr John Burton (2019)
• Mātanga Tapuhi (Nurse Practitioner) Tania Kemp (2020)
• Dr Grahame Jelley (2021)
• Dr Branko Sijnja (2022)

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