Equity

In Aotearoa New Zealand, people have differences in health that are not only avoidable but unfair and unjust. Equity recognises different people with different levels of advantage require different approaches and resources to get equitable health outcomes (Ministry of Health 2019).

While multiple possible equity dimensions exist (socioeconomic, ethnic, gender, geographic, for example), in Aotearoa New Zealand Māori are the most affected by health inequities and with Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand, have a right to be provided with equitable care.

On this page, you will find resources to support your practice to achieve equitable health outcomes.

Please contact the Primary Care Network Team if you would like to schedule a time with the Pou Oraka Matua (Māori Health and Equity Director) or Pou Tōkeke (Project Manager for Health Equity) where tailored equity advice can be provided relevant to your practice's enrolled patients.

 

Peter Ellison 

Pou Oraka Matua (Director of Māori Health and Equity)


Peter Ellison (Kāi Tahu), Pou Oraka Matua/Director of Māori Health and Equity, leads our organisation's commitment to reducing health disparities for Māori and Pacific Peoples. He is part of the Southern DHB Māori Health Team tasked with driving strategy and improvement initiatives to support gains in Māori health status across the Southern Health System.

Peter joined WellSouth in 2014. He previously held Māori Health leadership roles at Bpacnz and Otago DHB.

Peter holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Otago.  He is affiliated to Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou and Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki - where he is a member of their executive committee.

Miriama Ketu-McKenzie

Clinical Advisor Māori, Pou Haumanu

He mihi māhana ki a koutou katoa,

I have recently been appointed as Pou Haumanu – Clinical Advisor Māori for WellSouth. I whakapapa to Ngati Tūwharetoa (Turangi), Ngati Raukawa ki te Tonga (based in the Horowhenua region) and to Ngati Kuia (Nelson/Marlborough).

I spent my early years growing up in the rural Waikato town of Morrinsville, then relocated as a teenager to the (even more rurual) town of Shannon in the Horowhenua in order to be closer to wider whānau.

I am a Registered Clinical Psychologist with a PhD in Psychology and I am joining WellSouth after having worked as a clinician within the Department of Corrections, Wakari Hospital, Dunedin Public Hospital and Oranga Tamariki. In addition to working part-time for WellSouth, I also work as a Senior Professional Practice Fellow in the Clinical Psychology Programme at University of Otago and I run a small private practice seeing predominantly Maori clients under an ACC sensitive claims contract. I’m also a māmā to three school aged tamariki.

My clinical expertise is in the area of early developmental trauma and later life health outcomes, with a particular focus on the role that the HPA axis plays in stress regulation. I am passionate about improving health outcomes for whanau Maori and I am happy to answer questions about providing quality care for Maori.

Mauri ora.

Dr Letava Tafuna’i

Senior Clinical Advisor, Pasifika in Clinical Advisory

Dr Letava Tafuna'i, a respected GP and Associate Dean Pacific, Dunedin School of Medicine. Letava works closely with the Southern Pacific Provider Trust, the newly formed collective bringing together Pacific Island Advisory Community Trust, Pacific Trust Otago, and Oamaru Pacific Island Community Group to collaborate to improve and promote services for Pacific peoples south of Waitaki.

Letava, is Samoan-born and has Fijian heritage as well, Letava aims to advocate for Pacific communities, reduce barriers to care, encourage engagement with health providers and to help health providers better understand the needs of their Pacific patients. Before taking on the new clinical advisor role, Letava was a GP in Dunedin and has worked in primary and secondary care in Auckland, Australia, and Samoa.

 

 

Resources