Long before syringe drivers became standard in palliative care, Warren Flaunty was quietly helping to change how pain and symptoms were managed for people facing end of life in West Auckland.
As a pharmacist and a long-time supporter of Hospice West Auckland, Warren played an integral role in introducing the first Graseby syringe driver (pain pump) for local palliative patients – a development that significantly improved comfort, dignity, and symptom control.
The idea first took shape through conversations with Hospice West Auckland’s founder Beverley Revell. “She and I discussed that there was a pump available overseas that we needed to bring in… it was a Phillips Graseby.”
This was in 1990, when syringe drivers were largely unfamiliar in New Zealand. Once the Graseby pump was introduced, Warren quickly became one of the most knowledgeable people in the region, not just among pharmacists, but across clinical teams.
“After I’d introduced the Graseby, we actually had more knowledge of it than the nurses and even other Hospices. Bev and I used to go to all the training sessions.”
Those sessions were held at hospitals and Hospices across Auckland, where Warren helped doctors and nurses understand both the practical use of the pump and the clinical judgement required to manage medications safely.
In the early years, the work was intense and unrelenting. Hospice nurses were on call around the clock – as was Warren.
“I’d get a call at two or three o’clock in the morning to go out and make syringes up for people at home.” Warren provided this level of hands-on, after-hours assistance for nearly a decade. “I was probably the only pharmacist doing syringes during that time, really.”
Recognising the need for safer, more consistent practice, Warren trained other pharmacists and worked directly with the Ministry of Health to formalise protocols for syringe driver medications. “I went down to the Ministry of Health in Wellington and did a workshop. We decided to put proper protocols in place for making syringes, so it was all above-board.”
His commitment to best practice was exceptional. Warren even invested in specialist aseptic equipment rarely seen in New Zealand at the time. “I bought an isolator, and I was the only person that had one of those in New Zealand at one stage.”
In 1994, Warren received recognition for his palliative care work from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and was awarded £500 – which he donated to Hospice West Auckland. Ten years later he was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for his contribution to public service.
Throughout these years, Warren’s support for Hospice West Auckland extended far beyond his pharmacy role. He served as a Trustee on the Hospice Board for 10 years and was an elected member of the Waitematā District Health Board for 21 years. Alongside his work as a long-serving local councillor and member of multiple local boards, Warren was a strong and consistent advocate for hospice and palliative care within both council and health governance settings.
He carefully managed conflicts of interest while consistently using his experience to help decision-makers understand the importance of sustainable funding and specialist palliative services for West Auckland’s growing population. “I was always able to speak at meetings to give them an insight into what was going on.”
This advocacy helped strengthen relationships between Hospice West Auckland, local government, and the District Health Board at a critical time in the organisation’s development.
Above: the Waitakere Licensing Trust donates two new nurses’ cars to Hospice (Warren far right)
During his time as a trustee, Warren recalls a challenging period in late 2011 when Hospice West Auckland was in urgent need of a Specialist Palliative Care Doctor. He and his wife, Annetta, opened their home to Dr Michael Bolton and his wife Judy from Queensland, billeting them for three months while Michael worked with the Hospice team. During that time, a close friendship formed, making their eventual departure a bittersweet one. Warren knows that Michael and Judy left with lasting memories of both their stay and their time working for Hospice West Auckland.
Warren’s wife Annetta was also a long-term supporter of Hospice West Auckland in other ways. A talented artisan, who worked in ceramics and now creates beautifully crafted heirloom bears, Annetta founded ‘Craft Out West’. This local craft market grew over a decade into one of West Auckland’s largest and most successful creative events, hosting up with 132 exhibitors and raising more than $20,000 annually for Hospice.
Looking back, Warren Flaunty’s contribution sits firmly within the early development of hospice care in West Auckland. While syringe drivers are now a routine part of palliative care, their initial introduction, the training that followed, and the clinical systems built around their use required experience, persistence, and a strong commitment to quality care. That work included long hours, extensive education of clinicians, and advocacy within health and local government settings, all contributing to improved symptom management and better support for patients and families receiving palliative care.
