Addressing Health Inequities

Introducing

Addressing health inequities is already embedded in our organisational culture, policies and procedures but we are continually working to improve our approach and understanding of Māori and Pasifika.

We have designated Māori staff members who work determinedly and effectively in the background educating staff and informing management of issues.   Their role also includes connecting with Māori hauora organisations and working collaboratively with government agencies to deliver on New Zealand’s He Korowai Oranga: Māori Health Strategy and more recently Whakamaua – Māori Health Action Plan 2020-2025.

Tāua Sally Pitama

Sally has been with Nurse Maude since 2005 and has recently taken on the role of Kaumātua.

Sally’s primary role at Nurse Maude is Hospice Palliative Care Services Kaiāwhina, which she describes as being ‘helper, assistant, contributor, counsel and advocate’. Sally is all of these things and more for tūroro/patients, whānau and staff.

Sally’s whakapapa is to the Pitama; Tikau; Solomon and many other Ngāi Tāhū iwi/whānau from the top of the Te Waipounamu to the bottom, and she can also whakapapa through her whānau connections to many North Island iwi.  It is these aspects of her whakapapa that make her role so special and valuable to Nurse Maude.

Annette Finlay

Kaihautū Māori ngā iwi Tainui rāua ko Te Arawa (Waikato and Rotorua), has worked for Nurse Maude since 2007 was appointed to the role of Kaihautū Māori in 2019.

As Kaihautū Māori, Annette directs and maintains Nurse Maude’s relationships and connections with the hauora/health community and a prime example is her work with the Birdlings Flat Kahukura Kaumātua Project, a new initiative to address the needs of isolated and rural Kaumātua.

Annette represents Kaumātua Māori on behalf of the Māori Caucus, a part of the Canterbury Clinical Network at Health of the Older Person’s Working Group, ensuring there is a Māori voice for Kaumātua at a strategic level to initiate changes using mātauranga /knowledge, Māori tikanga and kaupapa.

Hinetewai

Hinetewai is Rapuwai, Waitaha, Mamoe and Tahu descent and has recently joined the Hospice Palliative Care Service.

Hinetewai’s role offers manaaki/support to Māori tūroro/patients and their whānau in the hospice inpatient unit and the wider Canterbury community. She also works alongside kaimahi/staff, volunteers and the Hospice Service multidisciplinary team providing guidance and support.

At Nurse Maude, Hinetewai is part of a cultural team with Taua Sally Pitama, supporting the Refugee and Migrant community.

Our day-to-day mahi (work)

Caring for the most vulnerable in our community is what Nurse Maude is about. Our District Nursing, Homecare, Hospital and Palliative teams are supported to be sensitive and respectful of cultural practices.

Ethnicity data

We collect ethnicity data of kiritaki (consumers) to build a picture of the uptake of services and health outcomes of Māori (and Pasifika) so we can understand the disparities in healthcare delivery, and how they can be addressed.

Staff

  • Komiti Māori is for staff who whakapapa Māori and it is the place to bring up concerns, offer ideas and plan what needs to be done to promote and maintain Nurse Maude as an inclusive organisation for Māori.
  • Waiata lessons with te reo are held each month and are always lively, loud, full of fun and well attended by staff and volunteers.
  • Yearly training is offered on the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Community

Nurse Maude holds consumer hui each year for Maori and Pasifika.  This initiative provides feedback about our services and assists in the development of service brochures that capture the interest of specific kiritaki (consumers).

Documentation

Click here for the Nurse Maude Māori Hauora Plan.

Click here for He Korowai Oranga: Māori Health Strategy and more recently Whakamaua – Māori Health Action Plan 2020-2025.

Click here for Pacific People’s Plan.