Dr Fiona Bolden is the Chair of Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network. Fiona has been a rural GP since 1996 and is currently based in the Coromandel, working in Whangamatā. She comes from Devon (UK) and trained at Bristol University, doing her general practice training in rural UK. In 2002 she emigrated to Aotearoa/New Zealand with her young family. Initially she was in Kawhia, a small settlement on the West Coast of the North Island and then she owned a practice in Whaingaroa/Raglan for 17 years.
She served on the NZRGPN (New Zealand Rural General Practice Network) Committee from 2010 and as Chair from 2019 until 2022 when the network formed one of the founding bodies for Hauora Taiwhenua (The Rural Health Network). She has been Chair of Hauora Taiwhenua since its inception.
Her focus is firmly on rural primary care, specifically general practice.
She would like to see equity in health outcomes for all people and sees relationships with rural communities as being a vital part of that.
Mark is the Chief Executive of Mobile Health and with his team is responsible for providing elective day surgery via the Mobile Surgical Unit – Te Waka Hauora, running My Health Hub providing continuing professional development for health practitioners and operating the NZ Telehealth Resource Centre.
With a strong focus on providing health services to rural communities through his work, Mark is a strong advocate improving equity of access to healthcare for rural New Zealanders.
Mark brings to Rural Communities decades of expertise and understanding of how to achieve effective collaboration with entities such as Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health, Te Whatu Ora – Health NZ, and Primary Care Organisations.
Bill is currently the Chief Executive of Waitaha PHO. Prior to this role, he was a Client Manager with South Link Health where he was responsible for rolling out Primary Health Organisations in the upper South Island.
Having developed strong community linkages with a number of organisations including Territorial Local Authorities, Bill brings experience in forging partnerships which support the continuation of rural and remote rural primary care services through the developments of community networks.
Bill brings a strong business acumen and depth of experience to rural communities through strong stakeholder relationships with Canterbury District Health Board, Canterbury Alliance, Ministry of Health, New Zealand Rural General Practice Network, National Rural Health Advisory Group, St John Ambulance, Whanau Groups and most recently Hauora Taiwhenau.
Debi Lawry is a Board member of Hauora Taiwhenua. She has had a 47 year nursing career, that has been mainly hospital focussed. She brings a wide range of experience, from working clinically, to education roles, midwifery roles and nursing leadership roles – Charge Nurse / Nurse Consultant / Director of Nursing.
Debi worked at Dunstan Hospital in Central Otago from 2007 to 2020 in a nursing leadership / management role which included 6 months as acting CE. The last 2 years of her working life was spent as service manager for Rural Health at Southern DHB. This included managing Lakes District Hospital in Queenstown … in time for the pandemic to strike.
Debi joined the rural hospital network in 2009 and has been an exec member since 2010. She was a foundation member of rural nurses NZ and has been on the exec since it’s inception, including a term as Chair. These two organisations have morphed into chapters of HTRHN, and now benefit from being part of a larger rurally focussed organisation.
Debi’s focus is on rural hospitals and nursing across all areas of rural practice.
She would like to see equity in health outcomes for all. She believes a strong unified voice to champion key rural issues is vital. HTRHN is well positioned to provide that voice.
Ko Taranaki toku maunga
Ko Hangatahua toku awa
Ko Kurahaupō toku waka
Ko Ngā Māhanga ko Ngāti Tairi toku iwi
Ko Poniho toku pa
No Rangiauria o Wharekauri ahau
Kei Timaru toku kainga inaianei
Ko Gregory-Hunt toku whanau
Ko Tania Kemp toku ingoa
I was born and grew up on Pitt Island, in the Chatham Islands. I have a strong affiliation with Ngati Mutunga o Wharekauri as Wharekauri remains turangawaiwai to me and my whanau remain there.
I am a Nurse Practitioner (Mātanga Tapuhi) and own the Pleasant Point Health Center. This was the first Nurse Practitioner owned and led General Practice in New Zealand. This is a Nurse Practitioner run Practice, with a commitment to growing our own. We have a constant flow of student nurses from undergrad to NP interns.
I have spent 30 years in General Practice, mostly in rural and remote communities, including Pitt Island, Wharekauri, South Island West Coast and for the past 12 years in South Canterbury.
I am the Deputy Chair of Te Aitarakihi Society Inc. A local Marae-a-iwi for Mata waka and all cultures within South Canterbury. Through this organisation I chair a Health and Well-being Committee, with the view of increasing health care for Māori in the region.
I was on the RGPN board for 6 years until 2018. I also served on the Nursing Council New Zealand, for two terms, finishing in Feb this year. I was asked to rejoin Te Rōpū Ārahi in the transitional phase of RGPN to Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health. I am a council member also.
My drive is to influence policy and systems that enable genuine change and improvements to health outcomes for Māori, whanau, hapu and iwi in rural hapori whānui.
The Hauora Taiwhenua Board work alongside Te Rōpū Ārahi to enhance the achievement of our vision of equitable quality healthcare for rural communities. Our partnership with Te Rōpū Ārahi is an essential part of our commitment to enacting Te Tiriti principles of partnership, protection, and participation.
To further embed our partnership, a Kawenata (partnership agreement) was developed between Te Rōpū Ārahi and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network.
Francis Bradley, a past member of Te Rōpū Ārahi, talks about the Kawenata and what it means for both parties in the video linked below. You can also read his story below.
Kia ora mai tātou,
He mihi maioha ki ōku kaumātua i tēnei tono ki te whakahora atu I te ia o te whakaaetanga nei, ko te Kawenata.
I will briefly outline what the Kawenata is and what it represents.
The Kawenata is a binding agreement, acknowledging and honouring the shared mission and relationship between us as two rōpū.
It establishes that this is a partnership between Te Rōpū Ārahi and the NZ Rural General Practice Network (which is now, Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network), with the purpose, “to enhance the achievement of the Network’s objectives for equitable quality healthcare, for rural communities.”
Hauora Taiwhenua states a commitment to improving health disparities for rural Māori.
Te Rōpū Ārahi is the Treaty partner, recognised as Rangatira in the partnership, engaged with Te Tiriti based governance development to contribute to the elimination of health disparities for rural Māori.
The Kawenata outlines a number of responsibilities of both rōpū, all these founded on the shared commitment to build and support a relationship that is consistent with Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its principles. Two of the responsibilities are:
Finally, there are shared objectives, one being:
The Kawenata acknowledges that should the rural GP Network transform into Hauora Taiwhenua (which it has), that they will become party to this Kawenata following the endorsement by Te Rōpū Ārahi.
Health Equity for Māori is the reason for this relationship.
This kawenata is the foundation from which our relationship can start, and partnership can build and develop.
At this current point, Aotearoa is slowly learning what true Te Tiriti based partnership might mean, however, our healthcare system is a long way away from being bicultural, honouring an equal Māori voice at all levels in development, design, and execution. Hauora Taiwhenua as a healthcare organisation is no exception and our partnership model needs a lot of work to be able to give effect to Māori voices in all these levels, however, we as Te Rōpū Ārahi see our Kawenata in the context of the health reforms as fertile ground to grow and learn together what partnership means alongside Hauora Taiwhenua, and as long as we see a commitment embodied through action, we will back Hauora Taiwhenua as a fledgling in the new terrain of Te Tiriti based governance.
Mauri ora
Dr Grahame Jelley is the former Northern North Island representative on the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network Board.
Having completed my secondary education in Zimbabwe, I qualified from the University of Cape Town in South Africa in 1983. I have worked as a Rural Practitioner for 30 years in mission hospital service, regional rural hospital service in South Africa, large corporate medical services and in solo general practice in Zimbabwe. Arriving in New Zealand in 2000 as a DHB employed General Practitioner in Westport, the Bay of Plenty in 2004 and Kerikeri Northland since 2014. I have served as a volunteer GP in the Cook Islands at Aitutaki Base Hospital. I have been actively involved with the Eastern Bay of Plenty PHO and Primary Health Alliance and subsequently te tai Tokerau PHO Board. I have more recently mixed my GP work with Clinical Advisor to Planning and Funding with the Bay of Plenty DHB, clinical Directore Te Tai Tokerau PHO and most recently clinical Advisor Mahitahi Hauora Primary Health Entity.
I am married to Renene a nurse and have two children Courtney and a son Brendan and more recently our first mokopuna Preston. I love sailing and other outdoor activities. I continue to enjoy the opportunities afforded to me through to contributing positively to the Board of the RGPN and the advocacy for wider rural General Practice teams and their communities.
My name is Gemma Hutton, I am a Nurse Practitioner in Twizel and continue to provide Telehealth/Locum support for the West Coast which was the area where I started my rural journey.
The majority of my career has been in rural health. I was a former board member of RGPN and I remain involved in advocating for rural health within my local area.
Gill champions workforce development and through workforce, making a difference to the lives of whānau, families and communities in Aotearoa.
In her day job, Gill manages System Capability for National Emergency Management Agency, professionalising and building the emergency management workforce in Aotearoa.
Gill is a strong advocate for enhancing rural wellbeing and believes in whanaungatanga, building relationships and working collaboratively. Her approach is to build on strengths and share solutions. She brings extensive experience in fostering collaboration and partnerships between communities and elected stakeholders.
Sarah Walker is an experienced physiotherapist working in rural Central Otago. For a number of years Sarah has practiced clinically across inpatient, outpatient, and community settings and led the co-ordination of MoH funded physiotherapy services across Central Otago.
Recently, Sarah has shifted into the clinical-academic world after receiving a Health Research Council Clinical Research Training Fellowship. In her joint appointment, Sarah continues her clinical work through Central Otago Health Services Ltd at Dunstan Hospital, whilst completing her PhD through the University of Otago. Sarah’s research is centered around defining what it is to be an allied health professional in rural New Zealand. Her research currently focuses around the role allied health professionals have in rural areas, and seeks to explore the scope of practice held by these rural clinicians. This research contributes knowledge to support the development of specific training for health care professionals, to ensure that rural communities are provided with a skilled and relevant health workforce to meet their needs.
Currently working in Southland as a Nurse Practitioner in Otautau and Riverton (Aparima). Living in Pahia near the south-coast of sunny Southland. Member of RNNZ since establishment in 2017.
Kendra lives in rural South Canterbury and has been working as a community midwife in the area for the last 5 years. Kendra is passionate about equitable access to health care services for rural communities.
Shrina is a final-year Bachelor of Nursing student inspired by her parents’ rural upbringing and a deep commitment to improving health literacy. With a solid background in patient care and a passion for supporting youth, she’s gained valuable experience in various healthcare roles. Shrina also volunteers as a youth mentor and Mental Wellness Support Volunteer. She is driven by a desire to empower patients, advance health equity, and make a meaningful impact on the future of health literacy.
Tēnā koutou ngā tauira o te hauora taiwhenua o Aotearoa,
E mihi ana ki a koutou, ngā kanohi hou, ngā ringa rau o āpōpō, e whakapau kaha ana ki te manaaki i ngā hapori maha o te motu. Ko koutou ngā kaiarataki mō ngā whānau e noho ana ki ngā rohe taiwhenua, e whai ana i te tika me te ora mō te katoa.
Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui i roto i ā koutou mahi ako me ngā mahi hauora. He mahi whakahirahira kei mua i a koutou, ā, kei konei mātou katoa hei tautoko i a koutou.
Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou mō tō koutou ngākau nui ki te mahi tahi, te mahi pono, me te mahi aroha mō ngā whānau me ngā hapori o Aotearoa.
Ko Angel Loren Harbers tōku ingoa, engari ka kīia hoki ahau ko Anahera Chan.
I was born in Caboolture, Australia, while my three younger sisters were born in Te Tai Tokerau, Aotearoa (New Zealand). E noho ana ahau ki Tāmaki Makaurau, engari ko Houhora tōku kainga.
Tēnei te taha o tōku kuia
Ko Puhangatohora te maunga
Ko Tāheke te awa
Ko Ngātokimatawhaorua te waka
Ko Hokianga te moana
Ko Rāhiri te rangatira
Ko Ngāti Pākau te hapū
Ko Ngāpuhi te iwi
Tēnei te taha o tōku koro
Ko Maunga Piko te maunga
Ko Kurahaupō te waka
Ko Pohurihanga te tangata
Ko Pārengarenga te wahapū
Ko Waitiki te awa
Ko Mareitu te urupā
Ko Te Hāpua te kāinga
Ko Te Hiku o Te Ika te marae
Ko Ngāti Kurī te iwi
I am currently in my fourth year of the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Auckland. I recently completed my Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours), focusing on Student Experiences of Rural Health Interprofessional Education Programmes: A Photovoice Study. In 2022, I published a paper examining the barriers to accessing diabetes eye screening in rural communities. I am now conducting research, supported by the Auckland Radiology Group, on the challenges of accessing radiological services in Hamilton and Whangārei.
In addition to my academic work, I am currently developing a healthcare start-up aimed at addressing barriers to accessing healthcare in rural areas. This initiative aligns closely with my passion for improving rural, Indigenous, and women’s health outcomes, which are deeply tied to systemic injustices and power imbalances.
I am incredibly excited about joining the SoRHA Exec Committee as Māori Co-chair. This role is an opportunity to advocate for culturally safe healthcare, elevate Māori voices, and help address the systemic inequities faced by rural communities. I look forward to working alongside a passionate team to create meaningful, community-driven solutions.
Ngā manaakitanga ngā mihi nui,
Angel Loren Harbers (Anahera Chan)
