Yes Minister – The Federation is looking forward to working with you

The country’s leading primary and community health body, The Federation of Primary Health (FPHANZ), is looking forward to working with the incoming Minster of Health.

Federation Chair, Steve Chadwick, says they are eager to continue the work with government, to raise awareness of, and advocate for, key community health issues.

“We look forward to welcoming Dr Reti and will be inviting him to our February workshop to look at ways the Federation can continue to support the planning and implementation of key community health related elements into the health sector landscape,” she says.

Ms Chadwick says most people understand the significant challenges facing the health sector however the Federation is uniquely placed to inform potential solutions that have foundations in community health. 

“Understanding and getting the community health sector working effectively is absolutely critical to the success of the wider health service. If we don’t effectively manage health at a community level then we run the very real risk of far more serious problems presenting at a higher level of care which can be costly,” says Ms Chadwick.

The Federation sees that ensuring a seamless continuation of critical services, post-election, is important.

“With a wide range of community services represented in the Federation membership, we are well connected to communicate with those areas as well as feeding back to Minister Reti and his key staff, on issues affecting the sector. We look forward to continuing our kōrero and relationship with Dr Reti over the next three years,” she says.

Background

Established in 2018, the Federation of Primary Health is the go-to membership body representing primary, community and consumer health care interests, for the benefit of all New Zealanders. It is the unified voice of Aotearoa’s leading primary and community health providers. The Federation’s overall aim is to influence the direction of the health system, so that the primary and community health sector becomes the central function and focus of New Zealand’s health system that is person focused and advances health and wellbeing equity.

Board members:

Chair:  Hon Steve Chadwick QSO                                Federation of Primary Health

Andrew Gaudin                                                             Chief Executive, Pharmacy Guild NZ 

Dr Jenny Carryer CNZM, Professor                              School of Nursing, Massey University

Teresa Wall                                                                    Consultant

Philip Kennedy                                                               Arthritis New Zealand

Lindsey Webber                                                             Western Bay of Plenty PHO

Cara Thomas                                                                  Diabetes New Zealand

Mark Liddle                                                                     GENPRO 

Federation member organisations; Representatives of the member organisations:

Allied Health Aotearoa NZ                                                        Orquidea Tamayo Mortera & Sandra Kirby

Alzheimers New Zealand                                                          Catherine Hall

Arthritis NZ                                                                                Philip Kearney

Collaborative Aotearoa                                                              Amarjit Maxwell

College of Nurses                                                                     Kate Weston

Diabetes NZ                                                                             Heather Verry and Cara Thomas

Family Planning NZ                                                                  Jackie Edmond

GenPro                                                                                     Mark Liddle

Hato Hone St John                                                                   Damian Tomic and Kris Gagliardi

Home & Community Health Association                                   Carmela Petagna

NZ College of Midwives                                                            Alison Eddy

NZ Association of Optometrists                                                Rochelle Van Eysden

Rotorua Area Primary Health Services (RAPHS)                     Kirsten Stone

Stroke Foundation                                                                    Jo Lambert

Waitaha Primary Health                                                            Bill Eschenbach and Dr Lorna Martin

Western Bay of Plenty PHO                                                      Lindsey Webber

Whānau Āwhina Plunket                                                           Fiona Kingsford and Kristina Marckean

Wise Group                                                                               Shelley Campbell, Maree Haddon and Jeremy Mihaka-dyer