Wellington, Dec 2 NZPA - A Canterbury District Health Board specialist in emergency medicine has been awarded the first Beaven Medal in recognition of an innovative research project.

Rangiora Hospital is holding an open afternoon next week to promote its recently refurbished primary birthing unit - that's been made possible thanks to Canterbury District Health Board and community funders.

Wellington, Dec 2 NZPA - A New Zealand patient has become the first in the world to test a new drug-eluting coronary stent system being developed by an American company, Micell Technologies Inc.

A new research grant could help doctors predict outcomes for critically ill kidney patients, a researcher says.

The idea that depression and anti-social behaviour are primarily influenced by genes passed on from parent to child has been called into question by a unique new study involving offspring born through in-vitro fertilisation.

Doctors should in future be able to better predict the outcomes of patients with rapid deteriorating kidneys thanks to newly-funded University of Otago, Christchurch, research.

Wellington, Dec 1 NZPA - The cost of childrens' after-hours doctor visits has been identified as a significant healthcare gap and a child poverty watchdog is calling for more government funding.

Canterbury's largest new community dental clinic was officially opened today (Wednesday 1 December) at Hillmorton.

Many students are still unsure about what to do with their lives when leaving school - according to Heather McAllister, author of a recently published book that is aimed at assisting young people as they transition from secondary education.

People living with HIV will have the chance to tell their stories during online seminars, launched tonight.

The "webinars" have been set up by Auckland University film student, Ada Chin, and are being launched today to coincide with World Aids Day.