Tuesday 28 February 2023 | Rātū, 28 Huitanguru 2023

Although returning from the Christmas and summer break feels like an eternity ago, since starting back at mahi in January, the Te Wāhi Tiaki Tātou Programme Team have continued to work closely on finalising key pieces of work. 

Our focus since early-January has been:

• The selection of a full quorum for our Governance Group
• The completion of key documents 
• Developing engagement activities for March – June 2023.

You’ll also see that we have a new programme name - ‘Te Wāhi Tiaki Tātou’. We explain more about the genesis of this name further on in our pānui.  

As ever, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Programme Lead, Anita Taggart at anita.taggart@ngatitoa.iwi.nz

UPDATE ON OUR GOVERNANCE GROUP

As you will know, we advertised for a representative for Tangata Whaikaha/Disabled People  on the Governance Group in late December 2022.

Due to the low response rate we recieved, we readvertised the position again earlier this month. We are excited to see that second-time-around has worked a charm and we will soon commence interviews for the Tangata Whaikaha/Disabled People representative. 

Tū Ora Compass Health have also confirmed that their CEO, Justine Thorpe will be their interim representitive on the Porirua Locality Prototype Governance Group. 

We look forward to introducing to you, the full quorum of our Governance Group in our March e-pānui.

INTRODUCING OUR ORA TOA PHO GOVERNANCE GROUP REPRESENTATIVES

INTRODUCING RANEI WINEERA-PARAI

Ko Ranei Wineera-Parai tōku ingoa, No Ngāti Toa ahau. I was born in Porirua, went away for school and returned to live, work, and raise my tamariki in Porirua. 

I have a Bachelor of Laws Degree and a master’s degree of Public Management (LLB, MPM). I have also worked in health care for over 20 years and enjoyed much of this time supporting whānau to keep well in Porirua. 

I currently work as the Kaitātari Tumuaki Māori, Executive Cultural Advisor for New Zealand Health Group and hold several trustee roles (Ora Toa PHO, Mana College, Partners Porirua, Nikau Foundation Porirua Fund, Takapūwāhia Village Group, Youth2Work and the Māori Women’s Welfare League).  Both my career governance experience gives me the capability and confidence to participate and be able to represent whānau voice and hapori experiences for our Porirua locality mahi.  

I also have extensive health service design and implementation of services for Māori.  When I led the Porirua Social Sector Trial which brought cross government agencies resources together to address shared goals and outcomes, we were able to reduce going to emergency services in hospital for people who live in Porirua as they got care closer to home and ensure all our babies under 5 were getting dental care – this is what our whānau wanted.

The direction of Te Wāhi Tiaki Tātou, Porirua Localities Prototype provides an opportunity for Porirua to influence our own health direction and to address the barriers to get the right health care in the right way for us.  When I think about this mahi I am passionate about making sure our health services are relevant and useful for us and our whānau within Porirua.  I look forward to sharing my skills to make a difference.

INTRODUCING MICHAEL RONGO

My name is Michael Rongo and I am of Kuki Airani and Pakeha descent. My dad is from Kuki Airani and came to Aotearoa as part of the 1970’s migration and worked at the freezing works in the Bluff. My mum has English and Scottish heritage and was raised in Dunedin. 

I was born and raised in Dunedin and although we had a wonderful upbringing, it was not without the experiences that many of our whānau still have today – poor housing, poor education and poor health. I developed a passion for addressing these disparities at a young age.  

I have strong whakapapa connections to Ngāti Toa through my wife, Bianca Rongo, and our 7 tamariki and an active member of the Church of the Latter Day Saints.  

I am currently the Director of Health Services for the Ora Toa PHO. Prior to my employment with Ora Toa, I have had an extensive 18 year career working within Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections) where I have held national and regional roles. I have been involved in a number of transformation pieces of work within Ara Poutama Aotearoa, and also supported the Cook Island Corrective Services Reform. During this time I have also held a number of Governance roles within the Corrections space. 

Due to my upbringing, as well as the many things I have experienced, witnessed and have come to understand in my time in Corrections and now in Health, my interest and passion for being part of the Porirua Localities Prototype is to be part of a team that is striving to create access and equitable solutions for our community. 

THE DEVELOPMENT OF KEY DOCUMENTS

Our programme team, under the guidance of Programme Lead Anita Taggart is currently developing a suite of documents to guide our programme. 

We are currently working on the Governance Group Terms of Reference, Roles and Responsibilities and a template for a Memorandum of Understanding that will enable us to partner with key services and community organisations across Porirua. 

While our most immediate focus is the need to stand up our Governance Group, we will also sharpen our focus on communications and engagement to gather the voices of the community. 

From March through to April 2023, we will be co-ordinating a range of workshops alongside whānau and community with the intention of capturing the voices of whānau on what they consider are the health and social priorities for them. 

We are optimistic that these workshops will create an opportunity for the community to feel that they are contributing through their input, into the development of the plan. 

RENAMING AND REBRANDING OUR PROGRAMME

Although the term “Porirua Localities Prototype” is synonymous with the health and disability system reform, we also recognise that it is not a name that is intuitive to the people of the Porirua community. 

In late 2022, Dr Taku Parai gave the name Te Wāhi Tiaki Tātou as a koha to the prototype. When translated Te Wāhi Tiaki Tātou means ‘A supportive and caring place.’  

It describes how Ngāti Toa see their role in leading the Porirua Localities Prototype together with its’ partners.   In the coming months, you will see our name transition to Te Wāhi Tiaki Tātou. 

As well as a new name, it is also important that we create a brand (look and feel) that is unique to Porirua. 

When our community see our branding, we want them to recognise it, feel connected to it and feel part of the positive wave of change for our Porirua.    

We plan to create opportunities to raise awareness across all areas of the Porirua community, and welcome whānau to contribute to the development of the branding, so it is something that is recognisable and community owned. 

By the end of April 2023, we are confident to have completed all the workshops that will capture the voice of whānau as well as provide feedback on the branding. 

We will continue to develop our website to ensure that the community are kept up to date on the progress of the Porirua Localities Prototypes via various mediums and encourage you watch this space, as we are currently working on a Register Your Interest (RYI) process that will allow you to register as being interested in being involved with capturing whānau voice. www.oratoa.co.nz/porirua-locality

OTHER NEWS - WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY

MINISTER VERRALL ANNOUNCES NEW COVAX BOOSTER

On Thursday 23 February 2023, Minister of Health Hon Minister Ayesha Verrall visited Ora Toa Cannons Creek to announce the availability of a new COVID-19 vaccination booster.

The new bivalent COVID-19 booster will replace the current Pfizer booster and is considered to h be more effective against Omicron subvariants. This will be part of the nationwide ‘one and done’ approach to help people stay well during winter.

KIA WHAKARITE KOE - BE PREPARED

As we head into the winter season, now is good time to get prepared and it’s easy to protect yourself and your whānau.

Measles spreads quickly and is many times more contagious than Covid 19 and results in high numbers of people needing hospital support. 

Our most at risk population in Porirua are tamariki who have not yet received the first MMR vaccine at 12 months of age, along with older children who have not been fully immunised against measles.

The best protection against measles is the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The MMR vaccination is free for everyone up to age 32 or anyone born after 1968 that hasn’t had two doses.

Get your free measles immunicaiton from your doctor, pharmacist or you can walk into the Community Vaccinaiton Centrea at 4 Lydney Place, Porirua and request the MMR vaccine.

Your feedback is important to us. If you have any questions, concerns or comments, please email us at porirualocalities@ngatitoa.iwi.nz