Māori public health priorty work areas
In 2006 Te Rau Matatini completed Te Kahui Momo Rangahau: A Māori Public Health Workforce Development Literature Review. This report provides an evidence base to inform the development of a Māori public health workforce development framework and implementation plan.
The Te Rau Matatini work also included:
- Ngā Whakaaro Mahi a rohe: Māori public health workforce participants’ profile (Roberts, G.J. 2007). This report presents the findings of the Māori public health workforce survey undertaken by Te Rau Matatini in 2006
- Ngā Whakaaro Mahi a rohe: A qualitative analysis of the Māori public health workforce. (Moeke-Maxwell, T. 2007). This report presents the qualitative findings of the Māori public health workforce survey undertaken by Te Rau Matatini in 2006
The purpose of E Ara Tauwhaiti Whakarae is to: Provide a national Māori strategic approach to public health workforce development Align workforce development with Māori public health needs Develop the current and future Māori workforce to increase Māori health gains through a cross-sector, all-age inclusive approach to public health and workforce development, and Develop the current and future non-Māori workforce to reduce inequalities, and contribute to whanau ora.
E Ara Tauwhaiti Whakarae complements the Māori Health Strategy and uses the pathways of He Korowai Oranga with the following specific public health workforce development actions:
Development of whanau, hapu, iwi and Māori communities
- Identify and support Māori public health activity in whanau, hapu, iwi and Māori communities
- Identify those whanau, hapu, iwi and Māori members and communities currently working from a public health perspective and target for recruitment into Māori public health roles and activity
- Improve national access to training for the Māori public health workforce
- Incorporate Māori public health best practice into the national public health agenda.
Māori participation in the health and disability sector
- Develop Māori public health networks and forums nationally, regionally and locally
- Retain and grow the current Māori public health workforce through effective career pathways
- Improve access to mainstream public health knowledge and expertise for the Māori and Māori community public health workforce
- Develop dual technical and cultural core competencies for Māori public health workers.
Effective health and disability services
- Identify and address systemic barriers to Māori public health initiatives
- Establish Māori best practice principles that enable growth and development of Māori public health initiatives
- Improve access to training in Māori public health for the wider public health workforce
- Develop a recognised skill set of Māori health competencies for the wider public health workforce.
Working across sectors
- Provide a forum for Māori workforce development collaborative activity and networking across the health sector
- Promote a Māori public health approach across communities, health and other sectors
- Identify training opportunities in Māori cultural paradigms across other sectors and open Māori public health and training to other sectors
- Promote dual competencies across sectors.
A future focus is embraced by E Ara Tauwhaiti Whakarae, which identifies workforce development needs and actions that will impact positively on the reduction of health inequities, strengthen the capacity and capability of the workforce, and ultimately equip the workforce to respond effectively to the health needs of Māori, both now and into the future.