PHO’s ‘mana wa¯hine’ leaving

A staunch advocate for health equity, Angela Francis is stepping down after five years at the helm of Nelson’s primary health organisation.

Francis became chief executive of Nelson Bays Primary Health in May 2015, moving to the region from Wellington, where she had been chief executive of the Asthma Foundation. She will leave in April.

At her farewell at the Richmond Health Hub, Te Piki Oranga tumuaki (general manager) Anne Hobby said she wanted to thank Francis for ‘‘not just talking about support for Ma¯ ori, but for actually doing it’’.

The Ma¯ ori health services provider was established in July 2014, and Francis had advocated for it to become a partner in the

Top of the South Health Alliance.

‘‘There has been great debate about whether there should be Ma¯ori positions in mainstream organisations, and my philosophy is we need Ma¯ori everywhere, and the more of us there is, the more likely we are to succeed,’’ Hobby said.

‘‘You have had a real commitment to that, and I know at times it has not been easy.’’

Nelson Bays Primary Health board member Carol Hippolite echoed that sentiment, and said Francis was a mana wa¯ hine and wa¯ hine toa whose work networking with iwi in Te Tauihu had not gone unnoticed.

The PHO supports general practices in Nelson, provides health services, and oversees the running of the Golden Bay Community Health centre and the Medical and Injury Centre.

The Male Room director and former PHO board member

Philip Chapman said he had enjoyed working alongside Francis, who had always been ‘‘soft on people but hard on issues’’.

Nelson Marlborough Health general manager strategy of primary and community Cathy O’Malley said Francis had a strong values base that informed her leadership. ‘‘You exemplify that – the respect you have for people and the integrity that sits underneath what you do.’’

At her farewell, Francis said she had appreciated the opportunity to lead the organisation.

She said her early days in the job, after the PHO had been without a chief executive for nine months and without a leadership team, had been challenging. The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board had also commissioned audits for the PHO and the struggling Golden Bay centre.

‘‘I had to believe we could overcome the challenges that existed initially and turn it around, and I think the team here have ably done that.’’

She said the PHO had been focused on actively influencing the social determinants of health.

‘‘We all know that 90 per cent of the causes of ill health fall outside the health sector, but I still believe PHOs have an advocacy role wherever we can in terms of housing, income, nutrition.

‘‘Health equity is another. If you get it right for Ma¯ ori, you get it right for everyone.’’

Francis said she was proud of the organisation’s vulnerable peoples project, which offered vouchers to people who couldn’t afford to visit their general practice.

‘‘I believe if we live in a society where our most vulnerable people are our most valued, that is when we know we have got it right.’’

‘‘PHOs have an advocacy role wherever we can in terms of housing, income, nutrition.’’ Angela Francis