Coasters to have ‘real voice’ in health reform

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

The Government says West Coast residents will have "a real voice" in the planned health reforms after the District Health Board structure is dismantled from June.

The elected and appointed West Coast District Health Board will be replaced by a new centralised body mid-year.

Health Minister Andrew Little announced on Thursday the West Coast and eight other regions will be part of a new locality approach pilot with "targeted engagement" to determine the shape of future health services as the health reforms are rolled out over the next two years.

Little said the structure to be piloted would ensure a more direct voice and be better than relying "on a small number of elected reps under the DHBs".

"People living in these nine areas will start to see changes over the next six months. Organisations responsible for providing care will start to work more closely together."

The reforms would ensure a local say and "a real voice" in determining the health services provided in the community, he said.

The pilots would improve how health care was delivered in local communities.

The West Coast is among a mix of nine rural and urban health areas included: Ōtara/Papatoetoe, Hauraki, Taupō/Tūrangi, Wairoa, Whanganui, Porirua, West Coast, Eastern Bay of Plenty and Horowhenua.

"The new locality approach will be a collective of networks that will provide advice to Health New Zealand and the Māori Health Authority on the health services needs identified by their communities," Little said.

Local communities and iwi would determine their geographic area to become the 'locality', so the area served made sense to the people who lived and worked there.

The area for each locality network would be determined by criteria including priority population groups, iwi boundaries and local government boundaries.

"The areas will be small enough to still feel local and everyone ... will fit into a locality that reflects their community."

A locality commissioner would be appointed for each locality once the localities had been identified and work with the community and service providers on their priorities for local care.

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