August 31, 2012
Taranaki health providers consolidated
There’s a new name in Taranaki Maori health, and while the players remain the same, the game has changed.
Te Kawau Maro brings together 30 health service contracts into a single programme run jointly by Maori provider Tui Ora and National Hauora Coalition,
Tui Ora chief executive of Tui Ora Hayden Wano says it represents a vote of confidence by the district health board in its Maori partners and in the whanau ora model.
“It’s a big shift for Tui Ora being a direct employer of many staff rather than through other organisations, but also the fact that we can start to take more control over the way we design and deliver services to our whanau,” Mr Wano says.
The project has meant a period of upheaval for many Taranaki health providers, but Te Kawau Maro should be stronger and more resilient to shifts in health policy.