The all-Māori, nurse-led initiative is the groundbreaking vision of Kāitāia social services’ not-for-profit ANT Trust and was opened and blessed yesterday in time for today’s public grand opening.
Manuhiri/guests from around the motu/country were welcomed with a pōwhiri, featuring kaikōrero/speeches from distinguished guests, including Kāitāia GP Dr Lance O’Sullivan and Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) chief medical officer, Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen.
Kāitāia GP Dr Lance O'Sullivan addresses the crowd as part of the special pōwhiri for the opening of Te Whare Oranga.
Guests were then led through the transformed Mana House for the official blessing of Te Whare Oranga/House of Wellness) before the new signs for the service were unveiled.
O’Sullivan will serve as the clinic’s virtual GP in support of the on-site nurses.
He said it was good to be home where his heart and family are after five years away and to be part of a kaupapa/initiative the community desperately needed.
O’Sullivan said a lot of work had to be done as the health system is “a shambles” but change wouldn’t happen overnight.
“We have to do something differently and I 100 per cent believe this can work.”
Jansen, alongside Kāitāia Hospital clinical lead, Dr Joel Pirini, will serve as an advisory doctor at Te Whare Oranga.
He said it was a joy to see the service open and the holistic approach to health would be of great benefit to local whānau.
Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen, Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) chief medical officer, will act as an advisory doctor at Te Whare Oranga.
“I think it takes a broader approach, it isn’t just about a narrow view of what health services are,” Jansen said.
“Given the workforce challenges and complexities we’ve got, trying to understand new ways of providing primary and community care where we use more nurse-led services will be a feature.
“They are present in other parts of the country and I think this one in Kāitāia is a really great opportunity.”
According to Pirini, Te Whare Oranga was the first health clinic to be led by a social services trust as opposed to a purely health-led approach.
Dr Joel Pirini (standing), with L-R: Dr Ash Puriri, Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) Chief Medical Officer Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen and Whakawhiti Ora Pai General Manager, Erroll Murray.
“I think that will be their [Te Whare Oranga’s] real strength because already having those established relationships and experience in this community will mean they’ll be light years ahead of health,” Pirini said.
“I don’t think this is something that should be led by doctors or GPs, but by social services trust (ANT) and by the nurses, and if the community can help drive what this looks like and they stick to those principles, it will be a huge success.”
An estimated 11,000 Northlanders were not enrolled with a general practice - with an overwhelming majority of those Māori.
Of that number, it was estimated more than 3000 people were without a GP across the Far North.
According to General Practice Owners Association of Aotearoa New Zealand (GenPro) chairman, Dr Tim Malloy, said the figure was probably a “gross underestimation”.
Te Whare Oranga is aiming to service as many of those people as possible and will only be taking enrolments from whānau not registered with a health provider.
Anyone wanting to change providers will be supported by an ANT Trust social worker to reconnect back to their own doctor.
ANT Trust social worker Adrian Marsden has been the key driver behind Te Whare Oranga and said it was a relief to finally open.
She said with so many people without a doctor, she was anticipating a large number of enrolments and hoped the clinic could work collaboratively with other health providers to serve the community.
ANT Trust social worker and Te Whare Oranga lead, Adrian Marsden, says it's a relief to finally be open to the public.
“We already have more than 100 people registered, so I’m preparing more staff for when the tsunami of registrations come in,” Marsden said.
“I hope that in this community we can work together smarter and that we can find a way to build bridges with others.
“If we can come up with the solution for a better way to do things, then what’s good for us has got to be good for everyone else too.”
According to Te Whatu Ora figures, just over half - 59 per cent - of Northland’s 46 GP practices were enrolling new patients. The remaining 41 per cent had closed their books.
In May 2019 Kaitaia’s medical practices — Te Hiku Hauora, Broadway Health and Top Health — announced they could no longer accept new patients.
The only exceptions would be the future children of existing patients.
They said the decision had been difficult but they had to commit to the patients they were already caring for.
People moving to Kaitaia were advised to stay enrolled with the GP practice in their previous hometown.
ANT Trust CEO Hone Harawira acknowledged other health providers in Te Hiku were already doing great things and that Te Whare Oranga would need their support to make their clinic a success.
“We’re not the big deal around here, te hauora o Te Hiku - the health of Te Hiku- has already got a spectacular service,” Harawira said.
“Broadway Health is longstanding and Errol Murray - Whakawhiti Ora Pai - does absolutely wonderful work up in Te Kao.
“So we’re just starting and it’s going to be hard, so I want to make sure everyone is there to support us and to not forget that we’ll need their help too.”
Te Whare Oranga is open Monday to Friday from 9am-4pm.
