We are excited to announce two talented guest speakers for the next consumer health forum Aotearoa hui.

Cassie Withey-Rila (they/them) and Karōria Johns (she/her/ia) will be presenting their hopes for the future health system.  

There’s still time to register – more details are below.

Thank you to all who took time out last week to attend our Q&A session on the draft code of expectations for consumer/whānau engagement.

Just a friendly reminder that the consultation deadline is next week (31 March). Send us your thoughts via email consumers@hqsc.govt.nz or call free on 0800 275 742.

Noho ora mai,

Dr Chris Walsh

Director, He Hoa Tiaki | Partners in Care

Te huarahi ki pae ora | The journey to healthy futures, 7 April 2022

We are delighted our next hui will be held next week on 7 April 2022 from 9:30 am–1:30 pm via Zoom. Spaces are limited if you'd like to attend, please register here today.  

Guest speaker: Cassie Withey-Rila (they/them)

Cassie is an early career researcher and advocate for trans health and health care access. They discovered their passion for public health and health promotion while teaching queer–inclusive sex education in Texas and immigrated to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2016.

Their Master of Public Health thesis explored the positive experiences of transgender and gender diverse adults in Aotearoa.

Cassie is of European ancestry and works to build community within transgender, queer and disability justice using an anti-racist and anti-colonist lens.

As well as serving on the executive committee for the Professional Association of Transgender Health Aotearoa, Cassie currently works as assistant research fellow on a project exploring medical crowdfunding, with a focus on crowdfunding for medical transition services. They also have a particular interest in exploring gender euphoria, strengths-based community work and undermining negative narratives around communities.

Guest speaker: Karōria Johns (she/her/ia)

Karōria is the Partnership and community lead at Health Navigator. 

She is passionate about health being reframed as wellbeing and addressing physical health as one area of many that contribute to an individual's holistic health. Other determinants must be examined to enable wellbeing to flourish for Māori people, whānau and communities. Her preferred resource for this is 'Te Wheke' by Dr Rangimarie Rose Pere.

She says embracing Māori models of care and whānau perspectives will benefit the system for both workers and consumers, while simultaneously ensuring intergenerational traumas are addressed and resolved. Karōria believes this work will be transformational.

New toll-free 0800 number  

Our new He Hoa Tiaki | Partners in Care consumer and whānau phone line is active. If you would like to contact us free, call 0800 275 742. 

To find out more about the wāhi whakawhiti kōrero hauora | consumer health forum Aotearoa and hear about updates, events and opportunities, click here to sign up.