Waitangi Tribunal told of disparities in funding, care for disabled Māori

A support services provider in Hokianga says it is under-funded compared to other similar services, without a good reason. Photo / 123rf

By Ashleigh McCaull of RNZ

The Waitangi Tribunal has heard of the poor quality of care for disabled Māori in remote areas and how health providers are struggling to help because of funding disparities.

This week, the tribunal is holding the latest stage of its long-running Hauora inquiry, this time about the experiences of tangata whaikaha - disabled Māori.

Tracy Clarke presented to the panel evidence regarding the treatment of her son Brannen Clarke-Baker, who was born in the Hokianga with a lump in his head.

Clarke took him to multiple doctors in the area, but was told he was fine and his head was growing.

Eventually, she took him to Auckland, where she found he needed invasive surgery to remove a hematoma.

Clarke said she felt judged despite trying all she could.

"No one believed me and the medical staff looked at me like it was my fault that I hadn't been earlier, [like] it was my fault that I didn't seek help earlier."

A surgeon and anaesthetist had travelled from Australia to perform the surgery.

"They came over and they said that it was surgery that was very dangerous, that they had to cut across his forehead and peel the skin down, then cut across the bone, take the bone out, [and] reshape it because the bones had fused together earlier than they should have," Clarke said.

The whānau are from remote Hokianga, at the top of the North Island, but they had to relocate to Auckland for Brannen, who was left with brain damage.

Māori health service Hauora Hokianga told the tribunal of its lack of resources to help tangata whaikaha.

Hauora Hokianga chief executive Margareth Broodkoorn said it needed better funding and resources.

"The remoteness of the area and health services can mean delays in the provision of care and support," Broodkoorn said.

"Multiple examples can be provided where a patient's discharge is delayed due to equipment not being available or house modifications not being completed in a timely manner and this is due to - for example, tradesman availability."

Broodkoorn said 96 per cent of the Hokianga population was considered high-needs.

And she said the funding was unfair.

"Our contract is $3 less than other providers are contracted in the Hokianga, when we've addressed this or asked Te Whatu Ora why this is the case we've been provided with no reasonable rationale as to why there is a difference in this funding," Broomkoorn said.

Economist Richard Meade was armed with graphs, and said the under-funding for Hauora Hokianga disability support services amounted to more than $68 million over almost three decades.

The hearing is scheduled to continue for the rest of the week.