Message from the Director's desk

The year has begun with energy and purpose for the Māori Health and Consumer team, and we’re making steady progress across a number of important projects. 

As this pānui reaches you, our team is preparing to travel to Te Tai Poutini West Coast next week, to hold space with consumers and providers.

Through two consumer workshops and one provider workshop, we’re listening, gathering feedback on the 'Code of expectations for health entities' engagement with consumers and whānau', and making time for any other kaupapa that whānau and communities wish to share. If you’d like to join us, visit our Consumer events page and book your spot.

We’re also looking forward to bringing another 'Ō Mātou Reo' workshop this year, this time in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. Once details are finalised, we’ll share more about the date, keynote speakers, and breakout sessions. 

We know the health system continues to shift, particularly within Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand (Health New Zealand), and we’re standing alongside our partners to ensure that consumer and whānau voices remain heard, valued, and prioritised. 

Ngā mihi nui as we step into this new year together - we’re looking forward to what’s ahead.

Carlton Irving

Director of Māori Health and Consumer

Illustration by Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho.

Kōtuinga Kiritaki | Consumer Network welcomes three new members 

At the end of 2024 Te Tāhū Hauora promoted a consumer opportunity and invited expressions of interest for three vacancies on Kōtuinga Kiritaki | Consumer Network. 

On Thursday 13 February, a mihi whakatau was held for Eden Li, Tee Siataga and Vivien Wei-Verheijen to settle them in as new members supporting consumer and whānau engagement at Te Tāhū Hauora. 

Together they represent the diverse communities and lived experiences of people across Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Regional workshops:19 and 20 February 

Thank you to everyone who has registered to attend our consumer and provider workshops in Te Tai o Poutini West Coast. We look forward to engaging with you all.  

If you haven’t registered yet, and will be near Hokitika, Greymouth or Reefton next week, there’s still time to confirm your place.  

These workshops are an opportunity to learn about how you can be involved in the improvement of the health system and contribute to the review of the 'Code of expectations for health entities' engagement with consumers and whānau'.  

The Code sets out how health entities must work with consumers, whānau and communities in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of health services. 

Clinical governance framework 

‘Collaborating for quality: a framework for clinical governance | He mahi ngātahi kia kounga: He anga hei whakahaere whare haumanu' was published at the end of 2024.  

It sets out a high-level framework for clinical governance in health and disability services in Aotearoa New Zealand and replaces previous clinical governance guidance released in 2017 to reflect changes in the health sector, including the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022.  

Feedback sought for new professional group (Assistant/Associate Psychologist)

The New Zealand Psychologists Board (NZPB) is working with Health New Zealand to develop a new scope of practice within the profession of psychology.   

As this idea is currently being developed, we are asking for your feedback. 

The new professional group is yet to be formally named but is being referred to as Assistant or Associate Psychologist (AP).   

Currently NZPB only registers psychologists. APs would undergo less training and therefore provide a more limited range of services.  

Developing an AP scope is one response to the need to increase access to psychological services for people who experience mental distress, and/or addictions, as well as their family and whānau.   

The number of APs are in addition to increasing numbers of psychologists in training.  It would provide a whole new addition to the mental health workforce by creating a new postgraduate training programme for psychology graduates. 

This will also provide another pathway to become a psychologically informed healthcare professional for people looking at healthcare as a career.   

Key points: 

• APs would be registered with NZPB, whose job is to protect the safety of the public.  
• Registration requires practitioners to apply for practicing certificates annually, to keep up to date with their practice through professional development, and maintain standards of care including ethical practice, cultural safety, good conduct and competence.  
• It means clients who are concerned about the practitioner’s practice can notify the Board of their concerns, holding the practitioner accountable.   

As a condition of registration APs will be required to: 

• Work within a team environment (for example multidisciplinary mental health and addictions teams within Health New Zealand where there are defined lines of clinical responsibility (meaning they're not permitted to work independent of a clinical team environment); and
• work with supervision from a registered psychologist or senior AP. 

At this important stage, we would really like to hear from people who might be impacted by the development of this role, including people with lived experience including their family/whānau, as well as possible future APs, potential employers and colleagues.   

We would be so grateful if you could complete the survey which goes through the Health New Zealand overview of the potential role.  Nothing is set in stone yet – this is your chance to have a say about this new development.   

Consumer opportunities | Tā te kiritaki whai wāhi

We are pleased to advise there are currently two opportunities for consumers to become involved in and contribute to: 

• Collaborative Aotearoa Telehealth Patient Survey 

• Development of Assistant/Associate Psychologists role – Te Poari Kaimātai Hinengaro o Aotearoa | New Zealand Psychology Board survey 

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