Dr. Pat Tuohy, a renowned personality in the Government health sector in New Zealand, has applauded the efforts put in by Before School Check and the Well Child programme that was initiated in Hawke's Bay in 2009 to identify and address the health and behaviour issues associated with a child’s development and ability.

Under the programme, the skilled nurses evaluate the general health, vision, hearing, oral health, development and behaviour of children aged 4. The programme was launched on pilot basis in Whanganui and Counties Manukau District Health Boards and it was successful there.

B4SC’s intervention strategies were reviewed by a research team financed by the Hawke's Bay Children's Holding Trust so as to come to know which interventions were successful. The report was published in November 26 issue of the New Zealand Medical Journal.

"The high degree of professionalism, enthusiasm and innovation by the child health professionals in Hawke's Bay demonstrated the value they placed on the programme", said Dr. Tuohy, Chief Advisor - Child & Youth Health for the Ministry of Health's Population Health Directorate.

He added that the outcome of the review showed that the programme achieved success in improving learning abilities of many children.

Over a period of 10 months, 1848 four-year-olds including 75% of the poorest fifth of the population were evaluated by 84 nurses.