New name, location for MSD service centre

An aerial photo of Caversham, the area where the Ministry of Social Development’s office will be...
An aerial photo of Caversham, the area where the Ministry of Social Development’s office will be located. PHOTO: ODT FILES
The Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) South Dunedin office is moving into the new Te Kāika Wellbeing Hub at 25 College St, Caversham, on May 1.

The last day of operation in the current office, at the corner of Hillside Rd and Rankeilor St, will be Wednesday, April 24.

The new office also has a new name, the Te Kāika Service Centre.

MSD southern regional commissioner Steph Voight said the move was "the exciting final step in a partnership journey that saw ground broken on the Wellbeing Hub in September, 2022".

"We’ve been providing case manager and work broker services from Te Kāika on a small scale since 2018. It’s wonderful to be able to maximise that service by bringing the whole team to the Hub," she said.

The Hub will not only offer full MSD services but also health and social services from Te Kāika and Te Whatu Ora.

"Working side-by-side with Te Kāika and Te Whatu Ora just makes sense. When people need help they’re often dealing with several overlapping issues, and it makes a big difference if the people to talk to are all in one place."

The South Dunedin office will close for good at 2pm on Wednesday, April 24, and the new Te Kāika Service Centre will open in the afternoon on Wednesday, May 1.

During the closure, people will still be able to access services via online options such as MyMSD and the Work and Income website, or by calling 0800 559 009 for Work and Income and 0800 552 002 for seniors.

Pedestrian access to the Te Kāika Wellbeing Hub is via Ranfurly and Playfair Sts. There is on-site parking for clients via Playfair St.