FIX: More localities on the way

Several more localities are close to being announced.

This was mentioned today by Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand chief executive Fepulea’i Margie Apa in a webinar update by her agency and Te Aka Whai Ora – Māori Health Authority on health reform progress.

“We’ve got three more we will be able to announce in the next few months,” Ms Apa says.

They follow the first nine localities, which were announced in April by health minister Andrew Little and were established as prototypes.

Ms Apa didn’t say where the three new localities will be.

The nine prototypes are:

• Ōtara/ Papatoetoe
• Hauraki
• Taupō/ Tūrangi
• Wairoa
• Whanganui
• Porirua
• West Coast
• Eastern Bay of Plenty
• Horowhenua

Interim Health New Zealand documents released to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa in July referred to six of those nine as “locality prototype ready”, and to three as “locality prototype in development”.

Three other areas which are not among the nine prototypes were called “locality prototype early stages”. They are Muriwhenua in the far north, Tairāwhiti and Southland.

The documents say localities will be established throughout the country by July 2024 and they will have locality plans by the following year.

It is expected there will be 60 to 80 localities.