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Te Whare Taumata o Hapori Taiwhenua o Aotearoa

Rural Communities Aotearoa
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Te Whare Taumata o Hapori Taiwhenua o Aotearoa aim to promote and encourage the active involvement of all organisations within a rural health and wellbeing focus. 

About Us

We work with our members to identify priority needs in rural health and promote actions to be taken.

We support research in identifying key issues in rural health, develop knowledge about them and disseminate relevant information to those with an interest in rural health.

Our work involves promoting and encouraging the coordination of the training and education requirements of the rural health workforce.

We aim to provide feedback to government and local authorities on the health impact of policies and services in rural communities to ensure rural and locality proofing principles are applied and reported on.

Our goal is to provide effective representation and leadership on rural community health and wellbeing issues.

By collaborating with other groups, we will develop and strengthen strategic alliances with the potential to improve health and wellbeing outcomes.

Executive Committee

Gill Genet

Chair

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. 

Bill Eschenbach

Board Member Canterbury

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 Taiwhenua. 

Denise Irvine

Helen Slattery

Mark Eager

Board Member Christchurch

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. 

Craig Young

Chief Executive TUANZ

Craig Young is the CEO of TUANZ, the Technology Users Association of New Zealand, an independent member-based organisation which educates and advocates for all users of technology and connectivity across New Zealand.  

Craig has been involved in New Zealand’s technology and telecommunications industry since joining CLEAR Communications in 1999. In his previous role at Chorus, Craig led the multilateral engagement with industry stakeholders and customers.  He was heavily involved in providing leadership in several industry sectors including Chorus’ rural broadband commitments and was responsible for the RBI Advisory Committee. 

Sandra Matthews

Sharon Wards

Colin Hannah

Paul Hopkins

Ruralfest 2024

Tuesday 7th May was our annual RuralFest, where 35 representatives from our rural communities came together for a hui with rural politicians at the Beehive.

The event is an important one on our calendar as it allows Rural Caucus MPs to present their plans for supporting rural communities facing significant health and wellbeing challenges, as well as a chance for our members to voice our concerns within the landscape of rural health.

Rural Primary Industries contribute 81.9% of New Zealand’s trade exports and 10.5% of GDP, yet despite this substantial economic contribution, rural areas suffer from poorer health outcomes across almost all metrics.

The 35 attendees at RuralFest included Primary Care professionals, Rural Hospital colleagues, community organisations such as Rural Women and Rural Support Trust, and rural industry representatives like Federated Farmers.

Put forward were five calls to action for the Coalition Government:

  • Fund pay parity for all rural health practitioners; this may mean that we are able to retain those we train and keep on the older workforce until some of the gaps are filled.
  • Fund rural general practices and rural health providers to the level which recognises the change in our workload and the particular challenges for rural communities
  • Rapidly commit to urgent and emergency solutions for rural communities, especially in those areas where they are no longer accessible.
  • Move ahead with establishing the National School of Rural Health to help coordinate rural placements and ensure that practices are adequately funded to provide teaching time and that students are disadvantaged by going rurally to train.
  • Develop evidence-based outcome measurements for rural health within the sector, using them to check the implementation of the Rural Health strategy and to correct the balance where the outcomes are not being met.

We heard from Minister Doocey (Assoc Min Health – Rural, Min Mental Health) and Minister Patterson (Minister for Rural Communities) that they viewed the health of rural communities through an investment lens that recognised the relationship of rural health with a healthy New Zealand economy. They assured us that the implementation plans from the Rural Health Strategy would have clear actions, milestones and measurable outcomes, but these are yet to be defined. We were pleased to hear a commitment from Minister Doocey that he is “keen to work with Hauora Taiwhenua to progress the sector-driven Joint Centre of Rural Health to bring that to a reality.” It was encouraging that Minister Doocey is prepared to work with us on this concept.

In the afternoon, members of parliament from the opposition joined us, with Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall wanting to understand why considerable new investment into the health budget made during their two terms in Government didn’t achieve the impact they expected. They also talked about the complexity of pay parity, with the Government being asked to address this for workers they don’t employ. They were committed to developing interprofessional learning opportunities that reach across the country but would not support the Waikato Medical School proposal until the business case has been completed and comprehensively assessed. Hon Damien O’Connor offered some advice on our advocacy, echoing the strength of being a multi-sector, well-connected rural voice and advocating for consistency, clear messaging, “talking it up”, and not letting it go.

Addressing the broader social determinants of health requires a united, cross-ministry, cross-party approach, similar to the collaboration seen among rural representatives at RuralFest. The call for action is clear: the government must move beyond inaction and provide the necessary support to ensure the health and wellbeing of rural communities, reflecting their vital contribution to New Zealand’s economy and society.

Relevant news

The Importance of Rural Socializing for Mental Health: A Winter Focus

Mental health continues to be a pressing concern worldwide, with anxiety and depression frequently cited as prevalent issues. Various factors influence mental well-being, and one often overlooked aspect is the impact of seasonal changes, particularly winter, on rural communities. While winter can paint a picturesque scene of snow-covered landscapes and cozy fireside gatherings, the reality for many in rural areas is often less idyllic. The harsh weather conditions, ongoing farm work, and seasonal illnesses can contribute to a sense of isolation and strain. In this context, socializing becomes not just a leisure activity but a vital component of mental health management. This article explores how rural socializing, especially during the winter months, plays a crucial role in maintaining mental health and highlights two successful initiatives that exemplify the benefits of community engagement.

An Amazing example of Communities pulling together

Rural communities pull together in tough times. The story below illustrates this. At approximately 8.38 am on 18th July at Lake Pukaki, near Twizel, two buses were travelling in convoy, as they transported a group of Chinese tourists to their next destination. Both buses rolled on black ice and tipped over. The fog that morning was heavy, resulting in low visibility.  This section of the road is notorious for its occasionally dangerous road conditions. Many accidents have occurred with drivers either not aware of the treacherous conditions or not paying close attention to the conditions. There were both adults and children on the buses. The group had come over to attend the World Choir Games in Auckland

New nationwide telehealth service launched to support rural communities

Ka Ora Telecare, a new telehealth service offering after hours health support for people living rurally, celebrated its nationwide launch in November. Three existing telehealth providers, Reach Aotearoa, Practice Plus and Emergency Consult, have come together to form Ka Ora. Ka Ora was awarded the contract from Te Whatu Ora following an RFP process earlier in 2023. With each business already operating in telehealth, the bidding team could draw on their expertise and processes in order to be able to quickly scale up to a new nationwide after hours and overflow model.