Maori Public Health Workforce Development: Maori workforce needs assessment. Report to Public Health Directorate, Ministry of Health

 
Report Summary
 
In mid 2003, this project was commissioned by the Ministry of Health.  The aim of the project was “To assess the Public Health workforce requirements for Maori and recommend how they can be met in the public health sector”. 

This report has been focused to provide an overview of a range of topics relevant to Maori public health workforce development and to inform the Ministry of Health’s wider public health workforce development project (Te Uru Kahikatea).  The projects original objectives have been expanded to allow this focus. 

Research Methods
The Project involved a small review of relevant NZ work and international literature on Indigenous public health workforce requirements in public health settings as well as face to face key informant interviews. Two large focus groups were completed and a small number of phone interviews were also held.

Recommendations
The following are the recommendations to guide the process and ongoing developmental projects for the public health workforce development strategy (Te Uru Kahikatea):

1. Meaningful involvement of Maori in Planning and Decision making at all stages including strategic advice from Te Taumata Roopu and consultation with Te Totara.
2. Opportunities to involve whanau, hapu, iwi and Maori communities in the way initiatives are developed and run need to be encouraged.
3. The framework, model and relevant initiatives of Te Rau Matatini are adopted for Public Health.
4. Priority is given to the purchase of initiatives which develop Maori capability and capacity, such as the Leadership Programme in Maori Public along with initiatives which promote and identify available training opportunities.
5. Clarification is needed around the role of the Maori Advisory Group to the Health Workforce Advisory Committee with Maori public health workforce development initiatives. The emergence of the Maori Universities and relationship with the Tertiary Education commission also requires investigation.
6. Investigate the role which Industry Training Organisations could play in Public Health workforce development.
7. Investigate and develop training for cultural safety competencies for organisations, management and staff.
8. Develop strategies which promote public health careers to rangatahi (youth).
9. Recent work undertaken by Victoria Smith on current public health training/ workforce development initiatives and Alison Dunsmuir on Leadership need to be reviewed in light of the relevance and appropriateness for Maori.
10. An opportunity for members of the Public Health Workforce Development Sector Reference group (SRG) to better understand the establishment and work of Te Rau Matatini and should be undertaken at the next SRG meeting.
11. Interested representatives from the SRG visit the Northern Territory (at own Organisational cost) and New South Wales to learn and review the programmes and initiatives for Aboriginal workforce development and review their applicability for New Zealand.