Women’s wellbeing a priority
Hird humbled by honour after illustrious career
Liz Hird, from O¯ taki, has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to health, in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. “It is a very humbling experience to receive notification that I had been granted an award.
“There are some people who supported me during my life such as my mother and my late partner that I wish could be here.
“I would like to thank everyone who has supported me over the years particularly my husband, my family, and my great friends.”
Hird said she had been fortunate to have been involved in community organisations that “were by women for women”.
“I acknowledge all the wonderful women I have worked with who have volunteered their time, skills, joy and hard work to achieve things for their communities.”
Hird co-founded the Otaki ¯ Women’s Health Group in 1987, for the purpose of providing health services to women and empowering women in the community.
“It was shortly after the Cartwright Inquiry that had exposed how vulnerable women were in the health system.
“The group had as one of its goals the empowerment of women to become involved in the community, obtain skills and enter the workforce.
“Many women who worked for or attended courses run by the group have gone on to achieve great things and this has brought me great satisfaction.”
She has been chairwoman of the Otaki ¯ Community Health Trust since 1995, which enabled the provision of maternity services, counselling, parenting programmes, cervical screening as well as health scholarships for tertiary study.
“The trust has its 25th anniversary this year and continues to provide services to the local community.
“These have included provision of defibrillators to community groups in the O¯ taki area and lately the establishment of a scholarship for tertiary level health training for pupils from O¯ taki College.”
Hird led the establishment of the Otaki ¯ Primary Health Organisation in 2003.
“I have always been a believer in community involvement in health and the highlight for me was being involved in the development of the early capitation contracts with the Ministry of Health and primary care providers.
“These contracts enabled communities to have a role in the delivery of health services in their areas.
“It was an exhilarating time to be involved in such a big change in health and to establish the O¯ taki Primary Health Organisation (PHO).
“This was the smallest PHO in the country when established and it had been a long battle to ensure that this small community got to have its say.
“I would like to acknowledge Dawn Wilson for her outstanding contribution to this establishment.”
From 1989 to 2007 she was legal advisor to Healthcare Aotearoa, an umbrella group of PHOs in Wellington.
During this time she negotiated initial capitation contracts for the delivery of primary health services in the Wellington area with the Ministry of Health.
Hird was appointed as a district inspector for Mental Health Services since 2002.
“It meant that an independent person, who has a role similar to an ombudsperson, has oversight of the provision of mental health services to vulnerable people.
“It is a privilege to assist patients and their families.
“It is an important part of my professional career as a barrister.”
She was appointed as a lay member to the Medical Council of New Zealand from 2003 to 2013 including a period as deputy chairwoman.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time taking part in developing information for the public and keeping the community perspective to the forefront in the development of the council’s polices.”
And she has been the deputy chairwoman of the Chiropractic Board of New Zealand since 2017.
“The board has the responsibility for the health and safety of the public in regulating the profession.”
Aside from her health work, Hird had been planning some overseas travel but is now looking to explore New Zealand instead because of the impact of Covid-19.
“I am very much looking forward to that.”
She has lots of family commitments too.
“I am also lucky to have eight grandchildren who swallow up lots of time in a delightful way.”