Coast health pilot has yet to fly

Developing the health 'locality pilot' for the West Coast is like "flying a plane down a runway while it is still being built," its first chairman says.
Takiwā Poutini Partnership chairman Kevin Hague recently spoke with the Greymouth Star about the new organisation, announced in May as part of the health system reform with the disbanding of the District Health Board.

Mr Hague, a former Green Party MP and prior to that chief executive of the West Coast District Health Board, currently chairs the West Coast Primary Health Organisation. He is also a former executive director of the Aids Foundation.

Mr Hague said the locality pilot, Takiwā Poutini Partnership, was yet to fully emerge but it would be focused on the "big picture" factors affecting the health of a community, and the services needed in the area.

"What we will want to be doing is engaging much more broadly with the wider community. What we know, with the community feeling a sense of power and control, that all leads to better outcomes because the communities are right — but also the outcomes are better. That in itself will improve health outcomes."

He said there was also "a very clear steer" in the enabling legislation and from the Government to tackle and redress inequity, the so-called "post-code lottery" approach to health.

"The other key inequity is there are groups that are systematically under-served and have poor health status. Maori are at the top of that list."
Mr Hague said this included addressing "a low target" for Maori health outcomes which had been assumed.

"For the first time really, the Government seems serious about actually addressing that."

The intention of the pilot was to bring about a national consistency for core health services with a more holistic "well-being focus" in a particular area.

"The localities are really intended to be locally sensitive ... it's probably a good idea," he said.

It was intended to reach beyond the current boundaries of health service provision in an "all encompassing approach" to the other providers and organisations.

The focus was on well-being in the widest sense.

"Well-being is an interesting focus. First of all it is a more relevant idea to Maori but also what we know influences health status. While health services may be very important for the people who are receiving the services, they comparatively play a small part."

For example, well-being also aligned with people's interaction with agencies such as the Ministry of Social Development, Housing NZ, or their local council, he said.

"What we are seeing around the table is not only health service providers."

Takiwā Poutini was made up of Health NZ West Coast, the PHO, Te Runanga o Makaawhio, Te Runanga o Ngati Waewae, and the Public Services Commissioner for the region to ensure an inclusive approach of public services in an approach to health.

"That's the first time that's happened."

The other unique aspect was genuine accountability to local iwi, "not a tick box exercise".

The appointment of Vicki Roper as a programme manager for Takiwā Poutini would move things forward, Mr Hague said.

Public interest journalism funded through NZ On Air