2 days ago
Meet Whakatāne Council's Health Equity Team
A new health advisory group set up by Whakatāne District Council plans to seek input from other districts in the Eastern Bay rather than be Whakatāne focused.
Whakatāne Health Equity and Advocacy Group (WHEAG) was established in May and has had one meeting so far.
In a report to Whakatāne District Council on Thursday, Mayor Victor Luca, who proposed the group, said he had been made its chairman.
The intent of the group is to provide community input into the health system that Dr Luca feels has been missing since the disestablishment of the district health boards.
'Despite my expressing the view that I intended to fade into the background, the group insisted that I continue as chair,' Dr Luca's report said.
'The first meeting had been mainly introduction and orientation. One area of consensus was that the group should take a regional view and include other Eastern Bay councils, rather than being Whakatāne focused.
"In fact, this was always the intention given that Whakatāne Hospital serves all three districts. The group will seek to get buy-in through iwi and other channels. There was a strong view in the meeting that collaboration is important and that there is a need to be strategic.'
Whakatāne Health Equity and Advocacy Group members Whakatāne Mayor Victor Luca WHEAG chairman Bryce Sheedy Chief executive of Eastern Bay of Plenty Hospice Mr Sheedy has held health management roles at Health New Zealand -Te Whatu Ora, Alzheimer's EBOP, Pou Whakaaro and in private consulting.
In all these roles he has come up against many of the same themes around inequity.
Chris Moyes Paediatrician A paediatrician at Whakatāne Hospital from the early 1980s, Dr Moyes was formerly medical director of the Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand for many years.
He worked with kaumātua in Eastern Bay to improve access to testing, monitoring and treatment for Māori living with Hepatitis B.
In 2022 he was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Rachel Morris Health practitioner With 20 years of experience across clinical care, digital health, strategic planning, and health infrastructure.
Her career began in Radiation Therapy and has spanned roles in project management, health planning, and risk management - across New Zealand and Australia.
Involved in both local and international health projects, she incorporates Te Ao Māori principles and mana whenua perspectives into her work and runs a kinesiology practice in Whakatāne.
Pita Paul Māori Health Advisor Mr Paul brings over two decades of leadership in Māori health across governance, advisory, and cultural roles for Health NZ, Iwi Māori Partnership Boards, Te Puna/TaumataArowai, the National Coronial Perinatal Board, and InterRAI NZ.
His expertise lies in bridging clinical, cultural, and regulatory health contexts to advance equitable Māori health outcomes.
Enid Ratahi-Pryor Ngāti Awa Social & Health Services chairwoman The former chief executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa and Disabilities Resource Centre.
In 2004 she was chairperson of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board Disability Support Advisory Committee and member of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board.
As chief executive of Ngāti Awa Social Services she has been able to expand the service delivery of Ngāti Awa to incorporate health services.
Chris Tooley Te Puna Ora o Mataatua chief executive Dr Tooley holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and was recipient of the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.
He was International Working Group of Indigenous Affairs vice-chairman (2015-19), senior ministerial advisor to Minister of Māori Affairs Pita Sharples (2009-14) Interim Māori Health Authority Board member (2021-22).
He was the recipient of the Blake Leadership Award from the Sir Peter Blake Trust in 2020, Matariki Award, Waitī (Health & Science) in 2022 and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Auckland.
Frances Te Kani Te Puna Ora o Mataatua chief relations officer An experienced leader in health, social services, and Māori development, currently serving as manahautū herenga waka/chief relations officer at Te Puna Ora o Mataatua, Ms Te Kani has over 20 years of leadership across government and iwi-based organisations, and has held pivotal roles at Te Puna Ora o Mataatua, Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, and Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa.
She has also been team lead manager at the Accident Compensation Corporation and operations manager at the Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance.
Vince Copeland Iwi Māori Partnership Board member Whakatāne-born and Tūhoe and Ngāti Awa descent, since leaving the Regular Force of the New Zealand Army in 2013, Mr Copeland worked primarily in social sector kaupapa Māori organisations.
He now works in the health sector as kaihautū of te Moana a Toi Iwi-Māori Partnership Board. He continues to serve his community as chairman of TeTapatoru a Toi Joint Management Committee and as a major in the Army Reserve.
Katerina Gordon Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance Interim chief executive Ms Gordon is committed to improving outcomes in Māori health, wellbeing, and development, with particular focus on mokopuna, tāne ora, suicide prevention, mental health, and whānau violence.
She holds academic qualifications in psychology and Māori development and brings extensive professional experience across kaupapa Māori health services, government, and mainstream health sectors. Belinda Whitworth Health management Belinda has held clinical, leadership and management roles in health in Western Australia, New Zealand and Britain spanning forty plus years.
She has extensive experience and skills in strategic and operational planning, developing and delivery of evidence-based patient centred models of care, across the continuum of care from preventing to treatment and end of life care and contract management.
