One rohe, different needs: Hauora reports reveal local health divide
Taima Campbell, CEO of Hauraki PHO, shares her perspective on the very different health needs emerging in Paeroa and Thames. The latest reports combine local health data with insights from whānau through the Whānau Voice programme, highlighting challenges ranging from access to dental care and the cost of healthcare in Paeroa to Thames’ changing age profile and the need to balance the needs of kaumātua, tamariki and rangatahi.
The findings show why health services and investment need to reflect the realities of individual communities, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. Campbell’s local perspective provides an important on-the-ground view of the issues facing whānau across Hauraki. The Paeroa and Thames reports form part of the wider Te Tiratū Hauora Report Series, building a local picture of health needs across the Tainui waka rohe and bringing whānau voices into health planning and decision-making.
Ōtorohanga Hauora Report shines light on scan access gap
Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board Tumu Whakarae Brandi Hudson has told the Waikato Times that Ōtorohanga whānau need scanning services brought closer to home.
Speaking on the release of the Ōtorohanga Hauora Report, one of Te Tiratū’s 10 locality reports, Brandi said the town lost its local X-ray clinic in January. Since then, people have had to travel about an hour to Waikato Hospital, or to Te Awamutu or Te Kūiti if they can get an appointment.
For a 15 or 20 minute X-ray, that trip can take up almost half a day. Fuel costs hit hard, especially for older people, farming families and young parents. The report notes median income for Māori aged 30 to 64 in Ōtorohanga sits below the national figure, and a growing number of people are relying on food banks.
The report identifies gaps in access to scans, specialist care and follow-up treatment, along with mental health and alcohol and other drug services. It suggests mobile imaging with regular weekly visits.
Brandi warned that when travel becomes a barrier, people put off getting checked until they’re already unwell.
The Ōtorohanga Charitable Trust is working to bring X-ray services back permanently.
No dentist in Paeroa, two generations to plan for in Thames
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The absence of a dentist in Paeroa and the challenge of meeting the needs of both older and younger generations in Thames are among the distinct health issues identified in two new Hauora Reports released by Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board representing 121,000 Māori across Tainui waka rohe.
In Hauraki District, home to 5,340 Māori in 2025, the reports highlight how local circumstances can shape the health challenges facing individual communities. The Paeroa and Thames Hauora Reports are part of the ten-locality series that combines local health data with the experiences of whānau gathered through its Whānau Voice engagement programme.
The reports demonstrate why health planning needs to look closely at individual communities rather than relying on broad regional data.
“When you aggregate things too high, you lose the nuances around particular community characteristics. Like in Paeroa there’s no dentist and there hasn’t been one for a while,” says Taima Campbell, CEO of Hauraki PHO who has fronted the video explainers on both reports for the Iwi Māori Partnership Board.
Access to dental care has emerged as a particularly strong concern during engagement with whānau.
The town has not had a dentist for some time, creating a barrier for people who may already face financial and transport pressures when seeking healthcare.
Campbell says the issue stood out because it was immediately understood by whānau, with many able to relate it to their own experiences. “Everyone got it. We didn’t have to talk anybody into it. It was such a shared experience.”
She says the lack of affordable dental care also highlights a clear equity issue. “Whānau cannot afford to go to the dentist.” The report identifies dental access as an issue requiring a locally relevant response, rather than assuming services available elsewhere will meet Paeroa’s needs.
In Thames, the demographic picture presents a different challenge with competing priorities for future health investment that need to be carefully balanced.
“We have an ageing population and on the other side of it, pockets of very young people which creates a fundamental planning question for Thames,” she says.
“Are we investing in our tamariki and rangatahi or do we need to take care of our ageing population?”
For Campbell, the issue is not simply whether a community is getting older or younger. It is about understanding its particular mix of generations and making investment decisions that respond to those needs.
“One size does not fit all,” says Campbell. “What is the problem we’re trying to address, and what is the opportunity for us to create a solution that’s tailored and designed with the community? Because you’re more likely to get a better outcome.”
That requires more than listening, she says. “The other component that has to go with that is trust.”
The Paeroa and Thames reports are the latest editions in the Hauora Report Series by Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board covering Taumarunui, Putāruru, Tokoroa, Te Kūiti, Ōtorohanga, Te Awamutu, Kirikiriroa, Raahui Pookeka and Ngāruawāhia.
They’ve been designed and researched by Māori technical experts to bring local health evidence and whānau experience into conversations about future health planning, investment and service delivery across the Tainui waka rohe.
X-ray gap leaves Ōtorohanga whānau travelling
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For whānau in Ōtorohanga, accessing healthcare can mean travelling an hour or more out of town, finding the money for fuel and taking time away from work and whānau.
A new 68-page report from Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board finds that limited access to diagnostic and specialist services, combined with transport and cost-of-living pressures, is making it harder for some whānau to access care when they need it.
The Ōtorohanga Hauora Report is the latest in the Hauora Report Series by Te Tiratū examining health across localities in the Tainui waka rohe. While Ōtorohanga has primary healthcare and a strong network of community support, the report identifies significant gaps in services beyond basic care.
One of the clearest gaps is access to diagnostic services, with the distance and cost of travelling for an X-ray or other imaging making it harder for whānau to get care when they need it.
“Because we don’t have medical services like X-rays and diagnostic imaging in Ōtorohanga, whānau have had to go to either Waikato Hospital, which is an hour away and quite expensive for them, or they go to Te Awamutu or Te Kūiti Hospital if they’re able to get appointments,” says longtime local and Te Tiratū Tumu Whakarae, Brandi Hudson.
“As soon as kaumātua have to travel, that’s a real big issue.” For whānau without reliable transport, the challenge is even greater. “Young Māmā need a lot of wraparound support with transport.”
The report finds that these practical challenges can lead to whānau delaying care until they are unwell, rather than having symptoms checked sooner.
That is particularly concerning as the community experiences increasing pressure from long-term conditions, including diabetes, alongside reduced access to some visiting specialist services.
“We’ve seen an increase in diabetes and at the same time we’ve seen a decrease in podiatrists able to come to the community,” she says.
The cost of accessing healthcare is also significant for whānau already managing household financial pressures. The median personal income for Māori aged 30 to 64 in Ōtorohanga is $45,100 compared with $48,700 nationally for Māori in the same age group.
Hudson says the financial pressure is increasingly visible in the community.
“One of the major signs we’re experiencing at the moment is that many whānau are turning up for the food banks, and we were very concerned about hiding in the background is a lot of stress from the rise in the cost of living like fuel costs that have been really difficult.”
The report also identifies gaps in mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) services. Specialist treatment is often delivered outside Ōtorohanga, while post-treatment pathways are limited and support can reduce once people no longer meet eligibility thresholds.
For Te Tiratū Iwi Maori Partnership Board, the findings point to the need for healthcare solutions that reflect the realities of rural communities rather than expecting whānau to overcome distance, cost and transport barriers themselves.
The report calls for:
- Dedicated 0.6 to 1.0 FTE diabetes and long-term condition support based in Ōtorohanga
- Diagnostic transport support bundled with referrals
- Weekly mobile imaging service in Ōtorohanga to restore access to diagnostic imaging
- Mobile ultrasound clinic operating in Ōtorohanga
- Permanent alcohol and other drugs clinician based in Ōtorohanga
- Funded six- to 12-month structured relapse-prevention follow-up for people receiving AOD treatment
- Funded transport vouchers for young Māmā.
Hudson says Ōtorohanga has significant strengths, including strong community connections and people who continue to support one another.
“Ōtorohanga is a very well-supported community by its own people. But we need a health system that recognises the realities of rural life. Whānau shouldn’t have to choose between paying for fuel, taking time off work or getting the healthcare they need. Bringing more services closer to home would make a real difference.”
This edition is one of ten locality Hauora Reports being developed by Te Tiratū across the Tainui waka rohe. The reports combine local health data with insights gathered through the Whānau Voice engagement programme to identify the health priorities, barriers and strengths of each community.
For Ōtorohanga, the report highlights how distance from essential diagnostics and specialist care can become a health barrier in itself.
Making healthcare easier for Te Awamutu whānau
Te Awamutu News has highlighted the findings of our Te Awamutu Hauora Report, which looks at what’s working well for whānau and where more support is needed.
Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board member Kataraina Hodge says Te Awamutu has many health and community services, but whānau don’t always know what is available or where to go.
That’s why Te Tiratū is developing an online directory of kaupapa Māori hauora services, making it easier for whānau to find the right support.
The report also highlights the challenges of travelling to Hamilton for specialist care, including the extra costs of petrol, parking and time away from work and whānau.
For Te Tiratū, whānau need healthcare that is accessible, connected and responsive to the needs of our communities.
The Te Awamutu report is one of 10 locality Hauora Reports being developed by Te Tiratū across the Tainui waka rohe, ensuring whānau voices help shape the future of hauora.
Te Awamutu has health services. But can whānau find the care they need?
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A new report is calling for better access to specialist care, stronger connections between local services and longer-term investment in Te Awamutu.
Te Awamutu has a strong network of health and community providers, but whānau can still face barriers getting the care they need, including travelling outside the town for specialist treatment.
That is a key finding of a new Te Awamutu Hauora Report by Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board.
Board member Kataraina Hodge says the issue is not necessarily a lack of services but knowing what is available and where to go.
“We’ve got a lot of health and community services in Te Awamutu, but our whānau don’t necessarily know who they are, what they do or where they are. It’s often not until someone tells them, ‘You should go and see these people’, that they find out a service exists,” she says.
She says making information about local services easier to find and navigate would help whānau make better use of the services already available.
To help address the information gap, Te Tiratū is developing an online directory of kaupapa Māori hauora services across the rohe, giving whānau a clearer pathway to the support available in their communities.
The report also highlights a more fundamental gap for people needing care beyond primary health care.
Te Awamutu does not have a hospital providing the range of specialist services available in Hamilton, meaning whānau can face the added costs of transport, parking and time away from work and family.
“We don’t have a hospital. So if you need anything outside our normal doctor, the flu or an X-ray, you have to go to Hamilton. We don’t have a choice.”
Being close to Hamilton does not remove Te Awamutu’s rural healthcare challenges either according to Hodge.
“We’re rural enough to have the challenges of rural healthcare, but sometimes we’re not rural enough to get the attention and resources that other rural communities receive.”
Workforce stability, especially retaining doctors is another concern, with frequent turnover undermining continuity of care.
“You might have a doctor for three months and then they’re gone. What is it that’s not keeping them here? We need to look at why our health professionals aren’t staying.”
The strength of Te Awamutu’s existing relationships is also identified as an asset. People who have moved away will often return to see healthcare providers they have known for years.
“People still want to come home. They want to come home for their doctors because they’ve been here forever. We’ve grown up relying on the person who’s always been there for us.”
The report identifies cost, transport, workforce shortages and poor coordination between services as barriers to timely care. Housing pressures, the rising cost of living and increasing mental health needs can add further pressure for whānau.
The answer is not necessarily to create another layer of services, Hodge says, but to make the existing system work better around the people who use it.
That means stronger primary care, a sustainable workforce, better access to specialist care closer to home, stronger coordination between health and social services, and continued investment in prevention and kaupapa Māori approaches.
Funding is also critical. Short-term and fragmented funding makes it difficult for providers to plan together and build sustainable services.
“I’ve been fighting for years for five-year funding. Give us a programme of what you want us to deliver, we’ll put a budget to it, we’ll tell you how we’re going to do it and we’ll work together. But we’re still getting piecemeal funding.”
“The issue isn’t whether whānau want care. It’s whether the system makes it easy to get it,” she says.
The Te Awamutu edition is one of 10 locality Hauora Reports being developed by Te Tiratū across the Tainui waka rohe. Together, the reports are intended to ensure local voices and experiences inform health planning, investment and decisions about the services communities need.
Copies of the reports have been sent to every mayor and relevant local council across the rohe, as well as senior Te Whatu Ora officials and other relevant stakeholders putting the findings directly in front of those responsible for health planning and local decision-making.
Te Kūiti rural healthcare hub strained by rising demand
The Waikato Herald has featured the Te Kūiti Hauora Report by Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board, highlighting the growing pressure on Te Kūiti’s health services as they support both the local community and surrounding rural areas. The article outlines the report’s findings on barriers to healthcare, including GP shortages, transport, affordability and workforce challenges, along with recommendations to strengthen primary care, maternity, dental and kaupapa Māori services. Health New Zealand said the report provides valuable insight that will help inform future planning for rural health services.
Report raises alarm over strain on rural healthcare
Waatea has spoken with Te Nehenehenui Chief Executive and Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board member Sam Mikaere about a new report revealing growing pressure on healthcare services in Te Kūiti.
The Te Kūiti Hauora Report, released by Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board, highlights the challenges facing one of the central North Island’s key rural health hubs, including workforce shortages, limited GP access, transport barriers and rising healthcare costs.
The report describes Te Kūiti as a vital service centre supporting whānau across the wider Waitomo and Maniapoto rohe, with increasing demand placing pressure on local health providers and hospital services.
Sam Mikaere discusses why the report was commissioned and the need for stronger investment in rural health infrastructure, workforce development and Māori-led solutions to improve health outcomes.
The report calls for community-driven approaches that ensure whānau can access quality healthcare closer to home.
Te Kūiti carrying the weight of rural healthcare
King Country News has featured the first ever Te Kūiti Hauora Report by Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board, highlighting the growing pressure on rural health services across the wider district.
The 48-page report examines the health needs of Te Kūiti and surrounding communities, finding that local providers are carrying increasing demand for GP services, maternity care, dental services and chronic disease management while supporting a predominantly rural population.
Drawing on community voices and local health data, the report identifies barriers including workforce shortages, transport, cost, childcare and limited appointment availability, all of which can delay access to healthcare. It calls for sustained investment in primary care, stable maternity services, expanded dental care, more specialist outreach clinics, improved rural transport and stronger kaupapa Māori services and whānau navigation.
Te Tiratū IMPB says practical, locally led investment is essential to ensure whānau can access timely care closer to home and reduce avoidable hospital admissions. The report also recommends that Ngāti Maniapoto be recognised as a partner in the design and delivery of health services to achieve better health outcomes for whānau across the King Country.
New Te Kūiti Hauora Report reveals mounting pressure on rural ‘health hub’ serving the wider district
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Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board has today released its 48-page Te Kūiti Hauora Report, revealing the growing strain on one of the Waikato region’s key rural health hubs, where local services are supporting not only Te Kūiti residents but whānau from surrounding communities who rely on the town for everyday healthcare.
The report is the latest in the Hauora Report Series by the Iwi Māori Partnership Board examining health across ten localities in the Tainui waka rohe – Taumarunui, Putāruru, Tokoroa, Paeroa, Thames, Te Kūiti, Ōtorohanga, Te Awamutu, Raahui Pookeka and Ngaaruawaahia, and Kirikiriroa.
While every community has its own story, the Te Kūiti report identifies a unique challenge – a comparatively young Māori population combined with the responsibility of delivering healthcare across a much wider rural catchment.
Te Tiratū Board member and Chief Executive of Te Nehenehenui, Sam Mikaere said the report demonstrates why rural communities require different solutions than larger urban centres.
“Te Kūiti isn’t simply providing healthcare for one town. It is a rural service hub carrying the health needs of communities across the wider district. That means pressure on local services is constant, and when capacity is stretched, the effects are felt far beyond Te Kūiti itself.”
Almost 47 percent of Te Kūiti’s population is Māori, with nearly half of residents under the age of 30. At the same time, local providers are managing increasing demand from surrounding communities for GP services, maternity care, dental care and chronic disease management.
Unlike reports that focus solely on health statistics, the Te Kūiti Hauora Report combines the lived experiences of whānau with local health data revealing how transport, cost, workforce shortages, childcare and the availability of appointments influence whether people can access care early or delay treatment until conditions worsen.
The findings Mikaere said point to a straightforward conclusion.
“Te Kūiti doesn’t need the health system redesigned. It needs sustained investment in the local services already carrying the load. When whānau can access care close to home, they stay healthier, avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and the whole system performs better.”
The report found that many whānau experience difficulty enrolling with a GP or securing appointments when they need them. Travel to Hamilton often becomes the alternative, adding cost, time and disruption for families already balancing household expenses.
Providers are also managing sustained demand from long-term conditions including diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease and mental health concerns, while high levels of deprivation continue to shape everyday health outcomes.
Rather than proposing new structures, the Te Kūiti Hauora Report calls for practical investment in the services already supporting whānau, including:
• Greater access to primary care and GP services.
• Stable local maternity services.
• Expanded dental care.
• More specialist outreach clinics.
• Better transport connections for rural communities.
• Stronger kaupapa Māori services and whānau navigation.
The report also calls for Ngāti Maniapoto to be genuine partners in designing and leading health services, recognising that locally informed solutions produce better outcomes for whānau.
“Decisions about rural healthcare must reflect how rural communities actually live. The evidence shows that when services are local, accessible and designed with communities, people receive care earlier and health outcomes improve,” he said.
All the Hauora Reports combine population health data with insights from the Whānau Voice engagement programme run by Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board out in the community to inform future health planning and investment.
Each edition in the series reflects the unique health challenges, strengths and aspirations of its community, recognising that no two localities experience healthcare in the same way.