Better Sooner More Convenient Primary Care - New Zealand Doctor

Physical Activity and Nutrition - Community Dietician 0.5 FTE, Health Promoting Schools 0.2
FTE, Health Promoter Physical Activity 0.3 FTE.
This team is managed and supported by the Medical Officer of Health, Regional Manager and
Team Leader. Support is also provided through Canterbury-based staff particularly around
research and evaluation
8 Effect on inequalities
All projects implemented by the three organisations are based around the Ministry of Health
key target areas, as well as areas identified in a West Coast Health Needs Assessment and
Māori Health Needs Profile 2008, which identified areas of concern. At the core of this work
is our belief that health inequity is unacceptable and all West Coasters are entitled to be as
healthy as they can be regardless of ethnicity or socio-economic status.
Projects worked on are evidenced based to show their effectiveness, or developed with a strong
evaluative component to measure effectiveness. They are also designed with community input
taking into account the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the requirements of involving
Māori in all aspects of planning and implementation processes. West Coast Māori experience
inequalities in their health status and as such each of the three components of this initiative
has a key focus on improving the health of Māori and „keeping whanau well‟. The General
Manager of Māori Health is a key member of the Healthy West Coast Governance Group. In
addition it is anticipated that the Healthy West Coast Governance group will receive advice
from Māori involved in the health sector regarding appropriate ways to engage Māori with
health education and health promotion messages
9 Evidence for this initiative
The three organisations have been working closely in planning and delivery for the last three
years. It is our understanding that this joint planning and sharing of information does not take
place in other areas and in fact there is often competition and conflict between District Health
Boards, Primary Health Organisations and Public Health Units. This initiative is unique in its
approach to collaborative planning and implementation of strategies between the three
organisations and provides value for money.
We consider this project to be a pilot and evidence of its effectiveness will be gathered over
the course of the implementation.
The following PHO programmes have been evaluated over the last three years (evaluations have
all been positive and suggested continuation or expansions of the programmes with suggestions
for improvement 31 ): and full version are available on request:
31 Copies of the full evaluation reports are available on request
Business case appendices V12 AC 25Feb2010 Page 34