Our voices: The journey to healthy futures | Ō mātou reo: Te huarahi ki pae ora

As we begin a new (financial) year, we are looking forward to working with you all this year. Reflecting on the last quarter, the event Our voices: The journey to healthy futures | Ō mātou reo: Te huarahi ki pae ora was a true highlight. On 25 May 2023, 377 participants came together for an uplifting, energising and thought-provoking day. Ngā mihi to all of you who found the time to spend the day with us.

From our perspective, this forum introduced (and re-introduced for some) our role in supporting the health sector to ensure consumer and whānau perspectives are reflected in design, delivery and evaluation of services. After a lack of in-person events, it also re-connected many, and re-established the importance of our voices in the reformed health system.

The event featured an array of thought-provoking sessions, engaging speakers and interactive workshops, including keynote addresses from Francis and Kaiora Tipene (the Casketeers) and cancer survivor Jake Bailey, as well as a heart-warming Q&A session with Dame Valerie Adams and Arrun Soma discussing Dame Valerie’s health journey. The ‘out of the box’ panel was rated equally alongside the keynote speakers.

While it was certainly a major event, it is important to note that this day was one way to engage and there will be many other opportunities, including forums and workshops that focus more on sharing the collective experience of the audience. Future forums will progress, for example, how agencies are giving effect to the code of expectations, and how consumer engagement is progressing in our reformed health sector.

An attendee evaluation report of findings from the event has been published on our website. You can read the full report here. Here are some of the quotes from attendees when we asked them, ‘What are your key takeaways?’ in the evaluation survey:

‘Co-design is possible at any level – even one to one in a consultation’

‘Everyone has experiences accessing health care – rich or poor’

‘I know why I do what I do’

‘Sharing power is essential’

‘Nationwide, the lived experience leadership community is big’.

Left to right: Zelda Edwards, Angie Smith, Allison Anderson, DJ Adams, Francis Tipene, Tanaya Shangarpawar, LJ Apaipo, Kaiora Tipene, Robbie Manning, Deon York and Lauagaia Jeffries at Te Pae Christchurch (not in picture Dez McCormack and Anne Buckley).

The He Hoa Tia Tiaki | Partners in Care team would like to express our gratitude to all the speakers, presenters and breakout session facilitators for contributing their knowledge and giving insights into their kaupapa.

We would also like to thank the staff at Te Pae and all others who helped make this event possible. We acknowledge we can do better in some areas, and we will factor improvements into the planning of the next national forum.

Presentations and resources from the breakout sessions are available on our website here and you can read the news release about the event here.

Photos from the event are also available. To view the full album, please visit the Lightchasers website here. Once you are on the website, simply sign in with your name and email address to access the full album. You'll have the option to download your favourite photos or share them with your networks.

We are pleased to announce that the next national consumer engagement forum will be on 15 May 2024 in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. We will share more information in the coming months.

Please continue to spread the word about the consumer health forum Aotearoa to your networks and get in touch with us any time at consumers@hqsc.govt.nz or free phone 0800 275 742.

Resources | Ngā rauemi 

Normalising kōrero around death – an interview with the Casketeers | He reo o ia rā mō te mate – he uiui i ngā Casketeers

When whānau meet with funeral directors Francis and Kaiora Tipene, one of the first things the couple does is thank them for their courage.

‘It is a brave thing to do, and we want to acknowledge that. We hope to make it normal to kōrero about death,’ Francis said.

Tō tātou reo advance care planning spoke with the pair, who star in their own reality television show – The Casketeers – after their keynote speech at the event Our voices: The journey to healthy futures | Ō mātou reo: Te huarahi ki pae ora. 

Read the full interview on the myACP.org.nz website.

Consumer opportunities | Tā te kiritaki whai wāhi 

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