A proposal for an independent Māori Health Authority was left out of the Government’s main health report, despite gaining an overwhelming vote of support from panel members.
The major review into New Zealand's health and disability system was revealed yesterday, detailing clear disparities in health outcomes for Māori.
An independent Māori Health Authority had been proposed in that review, which would see Māori have more direction and more autonomy over decisions regarding the commissioning of health and disability services.
The proposal gained the majority of votes to be included in the final report. But it wasn’t.
When questioned by TVNZ1 Breakfast's John Campbell as to why she thought it was left out, Sharon Shea, chair of the Māori Expert Advisory, said he would have to ask the panel.
“But I think it's very clear that the alternate view was supported by four of the seven members and the entirety of the advisory group,” says Ms Shea.
"Māori have been very clear, historically and most recently, that what we need is an aspirational health system that really enables us to express in a contemporary way issues such as rangatiratanga and mana motuhake which basically refer to authority and autonomy."
She says whānau who the group consulted with across the country were really clear that it’s time for Māori to have a "self-directing role" with respect to health and with respect to hauora and wellbeing.
"It's opportunity to have the right to make decisions of the distribution of health funding, it's also an opportunity to express from a te ao Māori point of view what good looks like."
Ms Shea says there are some "significant wins" for Māori in the final report, but the Māori Health Authority must have a role.
"Commissioning of health and disability services was the main point of difference between the alternate view and the view in the final report.
It’s been labelled the most comprehensive look at Aotearoa’s health and disability system in a generation. (Source: Other)
"We have the capability and the capacity to make decisions around the types of services that are most effective in terms of Māori health."
Yesterday's health review uncovered clear disparities in health outcomes existed for Māori. On average, Māori live seven years less than non-Māori, non-Pacific people.
It also found the system is designed around provider interests rather than consumers and did not serve Māori or rural communities well.
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