Whakatāne District Grey Power Association

Modern hospitals are enormously complex institutions. They comprise human capital (doctors, nurses and other professionals) and physical infrastructure (buildings, instrumentation, operating theatres).

Whakatāne Hospital has 160 beds and provides a relatively full range of services. With about 800 staff, the hospital is the district’s largest employer by far.

Whakatāne Hospital services not just our district, but the entire Eastern Bay of Plenty, and as such is an important regional asset.

A hospital is one of those things we take for granted until we no longer have one.

Jenny Martelli, is the interim general manager at Whakatāne Hospital and was appointed to the new role in March 2025. She brings a long background in senior management at Te Whatu Ora Lakes.

She managed the Woman, Child and Family services and the emergency departments at both Rotorua and Taupō hospitals.

Ms Martelli also brings sound experience in medical staff management having managed the medical staffing unit at Lakes for many years. She has a human resources background, having worked as an HR Consultant and manager prior to moving into health management.

Ms Martelli’s grandmother lived in Ōhope when Ms Martelli was a child, so she spent many holidays at Ōhope Beach, and this was when she decided that she would move to Ōhope when she was older. She and her husband purchased a property in Ōhope 10 years ago and jumped at the opportunity to realise their dream and have relocated here permanently now.

Whakatāne Hospital is full of great staff who all strive to do their very best for the people of the Eastern Bay and its capabilities have expanded over the years.

For instance, in the area of diagnostic imaging the hospital is equipped with a state-of-the-art X-ray CT scanner and will soon also host a long-awaited MRI scanner.

Ms Martelli feels very privileged to be able to help support and lead this team to constantly improve services to our community.

She will be speaking at the forthcoming Grey Power meeting to be held at the Knox Presbyterian Church Hall on Domain Road on Thursday, October 16, starting at 10am. Please note that the day has been changed from Wednesday in order to accommodate Ms Martelli’s schedule.

In her talk, she will shine a light on the operations of a modern provincial hospital such as Whakatāne Hospital.

All are welcome to come and listen and participate in the Q&A.