Milestone for Iwi Māori Partnership Boards
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Iwi Māori Partnership Boards have taken a major step as part of the Government’s commitment to the health of Māori communities.
Minister Reti has now received 15 IMPB community health plans, representing the vision and plans of the boards for health and wellbeing in communities throughout New Zealand.
“Receiving these plans is a hugely significant milestone in implementing my long-term vision for Māori health,” says Dr Reti.
“Having all 15 recognised IMPBs on board with their planning marks a pivotal step in ensuring health services identify and act on the actual needs and priorities of Māori communities.
“Development of the plans not only underscores the professionalism of the IMPBs in delivering them, but the content will also align and inform around key Government health targets, and in ensuring a Māori voice is heard in health.
“These are localised rather than bureaucratised plans, providing crucial insights into health priorities for actual populations. From here, they will also ensure local voices are heard and integrated into our broader health strategy
“These plans are not just documents. they are living frameworks to guide our efforts to better address specific health challenges faced by Māori communities.
“Their prioritisation of local needs means agencies can take meaningful steps towards reducing actual health inequities. Through engagement with local whānau, IMPBs have been able to identify specific priorities and actions in addition to the Government’s overarching health targets.
“Examples of these priorities include access to oral health care, suicide prevention and growing the Māori health workforce.
“The Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora, Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora and Iwi Māori Partnership Boards will now work cohesively to finalise the plans, support the relevant IMPBs, and begin implementation over the next three to five years.
“The plans will become the base for IMPBs being able to act on their strategic commissioning role, however it remains important to recognise that each IMPB is currently at a different level of capacity for delivery.
“This year’s 2024/25 budget increase of an additional $40 million per annum through Health NZ will contribute to addressing hauora Māori provider inflation pressures and continued service provision to Māori communities.
“I look forward to the positive impact these plans will have on the health priorities of Māori communities and the ongoing collaboration with all stakeholders to achieve our shared goals,” Dr Reti says.
Once finalised, the Community Health Plans will be published on the IMPB and Health New Zealand websites.
Original Article posted on the Beehive Website: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/milestone-iwi-m%C4%81ori-partnership-boards
Annual Report 2024
This year’s report reflects our dedication to collaborative leadership and our mission to uphold tino rangatiratanga and amplify whānau voices at the decision-making table that has been strengthened through partnerships with Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand and through the collective leadership of our Iwi Māori Partnership Boards (IMPBs).
This report captures the progress we have made, milestones achieved the lessons we have learned, and the path forward. This progress strengthens our shared commitment to uplifting the health and wellbeing of Māori in our rohe and ensuring all whānau can access services that reflect their needs and aspirations.
To download the PDF, click on the three dots ⋯ and select “Download PDF File.”
We need a significantly scaled-up Māori health workforce
Lauren James is co-chair of Te Taura Ora o Waiariki IMPB, the legislated Iwi Māori Partnership Board for the Rotorua area.
OPINION: It’s clear that our health system is in crisis, and Māori will feel the impact more than other parts of the population.
Māori experience a stark health disparity, with an average lifespan seven years shorter than non-Māori; face a cardiovascular disease death rate twice as high; see their tamariki suffering a mortality rate one-and-a-half times that of non-Māori children; and are disproportionately diagnosed and die from cancer.
The evidence tells us that high need and Māori sit hand in hand in this country. The current status quo doesn’t work for us; quite the contrary, it kills us!
Iwi Māori Partnership Boards (IMPBs) were stood up as part of the government response to Wai 2575 (Waitangi Tribunal Health Services and Outcomes Inquiry) and the Simpson Report (Health and Disability System Review), to address the glaring disparities that Maori faced in health and wellbeing.
Yet while the intent of the Government for these IMPBs and now disestablished Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) was honourable, the execution was poor. The entities’ efforts have been underfunded, under-resourced, and burdened by unrealistic expectations.
The resourcing for IMPBs felt like little more than tokenism at best, and blatant inequity at worst – yet two years since our establishment, and despite a change in government, we remain standing.
Not only are we still here, but against all odds, IMPBs have created Community Health Plans that reflect our most cherished taonga—the voices of our whānau and locality data.
They are boldly advocating for long-term, evergreen contracts to sustain our backbone of Māori health providers, striving to strike a principled balance between the needs of our people and the demands of government. I believe both can be achieved.
We are flexible, agile, and ready to challenge the system, pushing for bold, innovative solutions that prioritise social value over financial gain.
IMPBs are only a small part of the health system, but like all good things that come in tiny packages, we are dynamic, explosive and already punching well above our weight.
We should be encouraged by what our 15 IMPBs have achieved in record time. Minister Reti set a deadline in July for our plans, and most of them have been delivered. Now we wait for the official response.
Currently our Māori health providers’ contracts have been rolled over to June next year only, experiencing their own budget forecasting uncertainty in the context of a billion-dollar deficit in Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand.
Advocating for greater investment in Māori health providers is critical, especially when it’s claimed that Māori prefer mainstream providers. How can we speak of choice when only 2% of health funding goes to Māori providers, yet the demand by our people is massive? This minimal investment strips people of genuine choice, leaving them with few alternatives in the care they can access.
Some, like our whaikaha (disabled) whānau, are particularly underserved as seen in the evidence filed in Wai 2575. This is due to the way the system allocates contracts to the huge players who dominate procurement, which perpetuates ongoing inequity.
We need a significantly scaled-up Māori health workforce – our doctors, nurses, midwives, lead maternity carers, allied health professionals, non-clinical staff, and even the cleaners – everyone who serves our communities. We need more of them, and we need them now.
What sets IMPBs apart is our accountability to whānau, hapū, iwi, and communities; we serve them first and foremost. Their voices make it clear: we can’t afford to wait for the system to change, especially when whānau pass away while waiting in emergency departments.
This reality shows us that the system is in crisis. As we’re continually reminded of the health system’s financial struggles, let’s not forget that health should never be about profit; it must be about people and whānau. We recognise that we can’t do this alone, but being comfortable to share safe space together and have honest conversations about what we can all do better is a great place to start.
IMPBs across the country are eager to engage in conversations with all branches of government, from health to housing. We understand that health alone cannot deliver the answers to whānau wellbeing. Let us unite to strengthen whānau, hapū, iwi, and communities together.
Original Article posted on the Sunday StarTimes: https://www.thepost.co.nz/wellbeing/350447368/we-need-significantly-scaled-maori-health-workforce
Iwi Māori Partnership Boards Unite in Whakatāne to Lead Regional Health Planning
Iwi Māori Partnership Boards Unite in Whakatāne to Lead Regional Health Planning: Unveiling Community Health Plans & Hauora Māori Priorities
A third of the Iwi Māori Partnership Boards including five from the Te Manawa Taki region have united in Whakatāne to present their Community Health Plans to government officials, fulfilling their legislated function on behalf of Iwi, hapū, and whānau.
As part of the reset of Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, Newly appointed Deputy CE and Regional Director, Catherine Cronin received the Community Health Plans and Hauora Māori Priority Reports highlighting Whānau Voices.
This information was gathered from whānau, hapū and hapori to shape individual IMPB priorities and consolidated into regional priorities to tackle the ‘grim picture’[1] of the state of Māori-health.
“The purpose of our collective is to mahi tahi – to work together- to achieve the health and wellness aspirations of our whānau,” said Kataraina Hodge, Co-Chair of Te Tiratū IMPB.
Collectively, the 6 boards serve a combined Māori population of 285,560.
“Our role is not only integral, but fundamental to the success of Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand and the system’s responsiveness to Māori health needs,” said Louisa Wall, Chair of Tūwharetoa IMPB.
The IMPB are responsible for assessing, monitoring, planning and represent local Māori perspectives on the design and delivery of services and public health interventions within localities.[2]
Their shared priorities focus on public and population health, primary and community care, hospital and specialist services and priorities, workforce, data and funding appropriation for a redesigned delivery model.
“We are all experiencing the same levels of high health need for our whānau so the strategic emphasis into the prevention and health promotion space is essential to make meaningful progress,” Hodge said.
Each IMPB collected the voices of whānau through workshops and surveys, blending these insights with data from Te Whatu Ora and Primary Health Organisations to develop comprehensive, evidenced-based reports for each rohe.
This effort upholds the IMPB’s statutory responsibility in their relevant localities.
The Boards have aligned around regional strategies and delivered all key documents within Minister Reti’s expected timelines—most significantly, meeting the 30 September deadline to be ready for co-commissioning opportunities from 1 January 2025.
“Today is another important milestone in achieving our moemoeā (vision) for our whānau. We are actively participating in shaping regional health priorities that we expect will influence funding based on need ahead of the 2025 Budget,” said Aroha Morgan, Co-Chair of Te Taura Ora o Waiariki IMPB.
One critical task ahead is addressing the status of legacy contracts for Māori Providers – to maintain continuity and capacity in the system – which have been extended until 30 June next year.
“We strongly advocate for evergreen contracts for our providers, given the urgent state of our health needs. At every opportunity, we’ve made it clear to politicians and officials: contracts for Māori health providers must be extended and prioritised,” said Rutu Maxwell-Swinton, Co-Chair of Te Moana a Toi IMPB.
The hui was hosted at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, a Ngāti Awa-founded tertiary provider known for its essential role in training and developing the Hauora Māori workforce. The Boards expressed deep appreciation to the Wānanga for providing the venue for this important briefing.
“Since our establishment, we’ve been following our statutory responsibilities to ensure that we have robust governance structures and operational capability,” one Board member explained.
“We’ve had to set up charitable trusts and ensure that trustees represent iwi and mātāwaka organisations from each rohe, which is no small task.”
The IMPBs have collaborated with Te Whatu Ora and Manatū Hauora navigating changes in legislation, leadership, and planning approaches during the transition to a new coalition government.
“We’ve seen a shift from Locality Plans to Community Health Plans. It wasn’t until July this year that we had clarity on the new Minister’s expectations—before that, we were operating under Labour’s directives,” said Hone Te Rire, incoming Co-Chair of Te Moana a Toi IMPB.
The independent analysis aligns with key government priorities, reflecting a shared commitment to achieving mutual goals.
“It’s a great day for us but it’s got to be taken seriously, I was here 35 years ago and not a lot has changed in Māori health,” said Te Pahunga Davis Chair of Te Punangaora IMPB.
“I live in hope that we can make a difference that we can measure. With that I support our pukapuka being placed into the kete but we’ll be watching you, or we aren’t doing our job.”
The rōpū has heard “loud and clear” the consistent message from whānau about Hauora Māori that mirrors what’s been happening over the last 40 years societally that has led to more highly, complex comorbidities.
“Nothing’s really changed. Now we’re living in a climate of household stress, whether that be income, unhealthy homes, violence, lack of job security – all those determinants of health have doubled down on our people over this last decade especially,” said Davis.
Beyond forming the Iwi Māori Partnership Boards and underpinning flax-roots efforts, there is a shared belief that true solutions lie in our vibrant young Māori demographic, now 978,246 strong according to the 2023 Census.[3]
“Our emerging next generation bring an inspiring energy and a sense of hopefulness for the future. For us ultimately that’s going to play a pivotal part in the shift for addressing health inequities.”
[1] Refer: Pg 53 & 54 Waitangi Tribunal Hauora Report 2019 – like the gap in life expectancy at birth between Māori and non-Māori is 7.3 years for males and 6.8 years for females.
[2] Refer: Section 29 Pae Ora Act 2022 https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2022/0030/latest/LMS659229.html
[3] Refer: https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/2023-census-population-counts-by-ethnic-group-age-and-maori-descent-and-dwelling-counts/#:~:text=In%20the%202023%20Census%3A,from%2018.5%20percent%20in%202018
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Media Liaison: Sarah Sparks Email: Sarah.sparks@sparksconsulting.co.nz Mobile: 021318813
Background:
The collective of Iwi Māori Partnership Boards that in the Te Manawa Taki region are:
- Te Taura Ora o Waiariki IMPB (Te Arawa)
- Te Tiratū IMPB (Tainui Waka, Ngāti Haua & Mātāwaka)
- Te Moana a Toi IMPB (Bay of Plenty)
- Tūwharetoa IMPB
- Te Pūnanga Ora IMPB (Taranaki)
- Toitu Tairawhiti IMPB (Tairawhiti)
GALLERY OF THE HUI
National Hui in Tairāwhiti
In February of this year, the IMPBs gathered in Tairāwhiti. We spent day one together as IMPBs discussing the roles we will play in supporting whānau to reach their hauora aspirations. This hui was focussed on how we maintain our individual mana motuhake while collectivising for greater influence and impact across Aotearoa.
Social Return on Investment (SROI)
According to Social Value International, social value is about understanding the importance that people place on changes to their wellbeing and using the insights gained to make better decisions. Social value takes into account both financial and non-financial measures to assess the impacts that a set of activities has on people and community. By accounting for a broader sense of value beyond financial returns alone, entities can make better decisions for people and the planet.
In April of this year our General Manager and Executive Officer attended a 2 day training with Social Value Aotearoa to better understand the principles of social return on investment (SROI) and gain international knowledge of best practices of social value measurement and management.
In our role as Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards (IMPBs) we have legislated responsibilities that include monitoring the health system and then influencing the commissioning cycle locally to ensure service delivery within our rohe is fit for purpose. SROI training supports this function of IMPB’s by giving us a broader lens by which we can view service provision and enables us to calculate the wider social impacts these services and service providers have for our people and our community.
Minister Reti in Christchurch
Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti addressed Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards in March of this year and affirmed he will strengthen the role of IMPBs nationally. His speech spoke of a new dream for Māori Health that included timely access to quality healthcare and acknowledged that wider social determinants play a critical role in the overall health and wellbeing of whānau.
“I want to paint a vision for Māori and all New Zealanders. My vision is that all New Zealanders will have timely access to quality healthcare. That is the mission statement”
Te Taura Ora o Waiariki travelled to Otautahi for this hui and had the priviledge of speaking with the Minister one on one where we discussed the social issues our rohe faces and how we can support our people by breaking down cross sectoral silos. The Minister acknowledged that 80% of a persons overall wellbeing is determined by socail impacts and only 20% can be attributed to clinical health.
Do not be daunted. I know that each IMPB will have its own aspirations and plan, and we would like to work with you to facilitate a process where you are resourced to test and develop ways of working, which would then provide good evidence to inform longer-term resourcing. I know there are models that have worked before that we can better support, like the COVID-19 Care in the Community model.
Click here to read the Minister’s speech in full