This week is Phlebotomist Recognition Week 2026, when we say thank you to all our staff who collect your blood sample, shining a light on their work, dedication and support for patients across Aotearoa New Zealand.
This year’s theme is The Hands Behind Every Blood Test – The Hearts Behind Every Patient – showcasing phlebotomists as being on the front-line of health, and the real people and real care behind every sample which comes into the lab.
While most patients experience their care when having their blood sample taken at a collection centre, for some people, this is not always an option.
Therefore, the extra outreach Awanui provides to homes, retirement villages and local medical centres is so important to increasing access to our services, including for communities who are not close to main urban areas.
Wherever our phlebotomists are working, they build genuine connections and trust with their patients from young children to the elderly. While people often do not look forward to their blood test, our teams work to make the collection as easy, safe, and comfortable as possible to ensure patients can receive the right diagnosis and treatment.
Awanui is proud to support this year’s Phlebotomist Recognition Week and to acknowledge the skill, compassion, and commitment all our staff bring to their work, creating a welcoming, friendly environment which makes a meaningful difference to patients and their whānau.
Our phlebotomists are passionate about what they do and the contribution they make to people’s health and wellbeing every day.
If you are visiting a collection centre or being visited by a member of our Awanui team is week, please join us in saying thank you wherever you are across the motu.