Porirua to test health reforms

The Government has given more details on its major health system reforms, announcing the first nine new locality networks that will give advice to the new Health New Zealand and Māori Health Authority due to replace district health boards.

Health Minister Andrew Little announced a major shake-up of health services struggling with overflowing emergency departments, deep inequities, and long surgical waiting lists in April last year. He unveiled plans to create a national health organisation, a Māori Health Authority with spending power, and a new Public Health Authority to centralise public health work.

The new locality networks will provide advice to Health NZ and the Māori Health Authority on the health needs, to be identified by their communities, in a move Little said would give communities more of a say on local health decisions.

The first nine networks will be in Porirua, tara/Papatoetoe, Hauraki, Taupō/Tūrangi, Wairoa, Whanganui, West Coast, Eastern Bay of Plenty and Horowhenua, with the exact geography to be decided by the community. Little said there would be between 60 and 80 localities up and running by July 2024.

‘‘Once Health NZ and the Māori Health Authority have worked with communities to identify their localities, a locality commissioner will be assigned to work with Ōcommunity and providers – to meet and talk about their priorities for local care,’’ he said.

‘‘This targeted engagement will inform a locality plan that will influence local health care services.’’

People living in the first nine areas will start to see changes over the next six months and organisations responsible for providing care will start to work more closely together, he said.

‘‘People will have amore direct voice to determine how health services are delivered because locality networks are required to consult, engage and capture the input of the communities they represent including iwi, local authorities and social sector agencies rather than relying on a small number of elected reps under the DHBs.’’

Legislation underpinning the reforms was introduced to Parliament in October last year. Fepulea’i Margie Apa is the head of the interim Health NZ, and Riana Manuel (Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Kahungunu) is leads the interim Māori Health Authority.

The nine areas will be used test ideas about how the approach will be formally established for the national roll-out, due to take place over the next two years.

The new health system will take effect on July 1.

‘‘. . . we know the people who live in our community and we understand what needs to be provided.’’

Helmut Modlik

Moves to give Māori a greater say in their health has been welcomed by a Porirua iwi.

The Government announced recently that Porirua is one of nine localities selected to begin a new way of delivering health services to the community.

Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira chief executive Helmut Modlik says the iwi is proud to lead and deliver changes to the health system within the Porirua community and has already made significant progress in enabling change.

‘‘As mana whenua, we see it as our responsibility to lead and support positive health and wellbeing of all those living in our community,’’ Helmut said.

‘‘Our services have been operating in the Porirua community for decades and we are excited to take on the leadership role.’’

Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and Ora Toa Health Services will partner with Tu Ora primary health organisation and other local health providers to identify the needs of the community and how health services can be better co-ordinated to ensure improved health outcomes within the region.

‘‘We have already tested the partnership and our ability to collaborate under the leadership of Ngāti Toa Rangatira with the successful delivery of the Tiaki Covid Care in the Community programme as well as a range of other initiatives,’’ Modlik said.

‘‘What these initiatives have shown is that we know our community, we know the people who live in our community and we understand what needs to be provided to make sure our community is not just surviving but, more importantly, thriving.’’

The ti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board is made up of iwi members from Ngāti Toa, Te

ti Awa and the community. They will be the voice of whānau Māori and will focus on improving the health and wellbeing of all Māori who live in the Porirua, Wellington and Hutt Valley regions.