Media Release from: THINK Hauora PHO

May 21, 2024

THINK Hauora welcomes Dame Karen Poutasi to MidCentral regional hui….

Together with local alliance partners, GPs and Iwi Māori Partnership Board CEO, THINK Hauora PHO welcomed Dame Karen Poutasi - Te Whatu Ora Board Chair, to a district hui, showcasing partnership and collaboration in the MidCentral rohe last week.

THINK Hauora took the opportunity to reinforce the challenges impacting local services including on-going workforce shortages, nursing pay parity and capitation funding.

Dame Poutasi was joined by Dr Sarah Clarke, Te Whatu Ora National Clinical Director Primary and Community Care, Dr Anna Skinner, Te Whatu Ora Clinical Chief Advisor Primary Care and General Practice NZ Medical Director, Dr Bryan Betty as part of a national road show to better understand the health landscape across New Zealand.

“THINK Hauora’s expanded governance structure with 50/50 iwi Board representation allows us to be more responsive to the needs of our community, underpinned by Pae Ora and a shared vision of connecting communities for wellbeing across the rohe,” said Dr Bruce Stewart - THINK Hauora Board Chair.” 

Supported by THINK Hauora, alliance partners highlighted examples of integrated care in response to community need:

•       THINK Hauora CEO - Amarjit Maxwell shared highlights of the network wānanga enhancing general practice to support health and wellbeing, bringing over 110 cross sector kaimahi to share and learn together.
•         Iwi Māori Partnership Board (IMPB) CEO Dan Arapere discussed how local health and wellbeing providers and the seven local iwi are working closely to better meet the needs of the community.
•       Local alliance partner Te Tihi o Ruahine Upoko Whakarae, Materoa Mar showcased on-going initiatives to support whānau into home ownership, resulting in better health outcomes.
•       Sarah Fenwick - Group Director of Operations Te Whatu Ora MidCentral, discussed current challenges with patient flow and the programme of work that has been set up enable improvement noting the commitment between Hospital Specialist Services and THINK Hauora. 

Guests then traveled to Kauri Health Care in central Palmerston-North, to better understand what integrated family health services looks like in a large, agile and sustainable primary care setting. 

More information: THINK Hauora is a Primary Health Organisation (PHO) that provides primary healthcare services to the North Island’s MidCentral region. This includes the Manawatū, Horowhenua and Tararua localities, Palmerston-North city and Kapiti (Ōtaki).

Contact:

Amarjit Maxwell CEO THINK Hauora

Amarjit.maxwell@thinkhauora.nz