CMDHB & Pacific Peoples Health Advisory Group meet at AH+

Participants from CMDHB, the Pacific Peoples Health Advisory Group & AH+

The members of the Primary Care Team from the DHB met Pacific consumers/patients to conduct a co-design process to better support patients with long-term conditions and complex health needs ie., mental health, COPD, diabetes, renal failure, heart failure, dementia, palliative care and many others. Many of these conditions are often grouped within the same person. Historically visits to GP practices have been dominated by face-to-face consultations with GPs with a 15 minute duration. There is now a compelling case to change this Model of Care (MOC) to one that is more appropriate for the Pacific patient and their family; get better results; and utilise the skill sets of many health practitioners, not just GPs. The DHB is developing a funding model to support primary care in developing and delivering this new MOC.

Feedback from members of the Pacific Peoples Health Advisory Group:

"Our team thoroughly enjoyed contributing last night. Jo said he was a bit shy but will get better". - Flo Iosefa

“I felt the DHB heard real live stories about the struggles and concerns we as Pasifika experience, when we engage with health services. Time was taken to hear our comments which were reflected back with empathy. This gave some hope that services could improve in the future to meet our needs”. - Malae Fuimaono Sanders

“I felt like we were closer to the decision makers. It is important for the hospital to be close to the consumers rather than make pie in the sky decisions. I felt we had an opportunity to be heard and be part of the decision making process”. - Kilihega Magaoa Jefferson