Background to solution
Evidence suggested that the mainstream health system was failing to meet Māori health and social needs (such as income, housing), this being reflected in the growing health disparities between Māori and non-Māori (National Māori PHO Coalition, 2010). As a result, Whānau Ora was developed to address these issues (National Māori PHO Coalition, 2010). It incorporates a Kaupapa Māori paradigm and attempts to empower whānau through intersectional collaboration, integration, and co-ordination across a range of government agencies, engaging to accommodate the comprehensive needs of, as well as improve outcomes for whānau/families (Controller and Auditor General, 2015). Of particular interest is the higher rates of of heart disease, …show more content…
Māori CHWs can be employed by Māori health providers and Primary health organisations that want to increase integration, cultural competence, and quality of service delivery for high needs families with LTCs (Boyd & Horne, 2008). The Kaiāwhina will work intimately alongside the mobile nurse in outreach services as well as collaborate with multidisciplinary health care teams (including general practitioners, specialists and allied health professionals) in managing whānau with LTCs (Centers for Disease Control, 2011). The Māori CHW is especially valuable to this team. Māori CHWs do not deliver clinical care or replace the mobile nurses, but rather, they complement the initiative by increasing the variety of available extensive services (Spencer, Gunter, & Palmisano, 2010). They do this by acting as a navigators through the complicated social and health systems. CHWs are the frontline public health workers who are respected and trusted members of the community they work with (Findley & Matos, 2015). This unique connection, along with the kaupapa Māori approach allows Māori CHWs to act as mediators between social services (while the mobile nurse mediates health services) and whānau to enhance the quality, cultural competence and integration of (social) services provided by the mobile nursing …show more content…
Together with whānau, they can determine problems through a home visit (with the mobile nurse), set goals, and then provide connections to relevant services. Issues could be as simple as a lack of transportation (Sheridan, et al., 2011). More specifically, the Kaiāwhina is tasked with arranging transport assistance, translators, childcare, financial services to enable whānau to attend health care appointments when required – promoting continuity of care (Tui Ora, 2013). They are responsible for linking families to social services (such as financial assistance) and arranging appointments and payments as well as attending appointments with whānau for support if needed (Tui Ora, 2013). The Kaiāwhina will also provide services that encourage whānau to engage in better self-management of LTCs by education, raising awareness and taking part in prevention programmes (Tui Ora, 2013). Additionally, they can build whānau and community capacity by increasing self-support and health knowledge, serving as community educators, informal counselling, advocacy, and social support (Rosentha, et al., 2010). Incorporating a Māori CHW component into the kaupapa mobile nurse initiative will likely strength it. The Māori CHW serves to address social issues of whānau with LTCs while the health-focused mobile nurse deals with, for example, diabetes issues (Russell,
Evidence suggested that the mainstream health system was failing to meet Māori health and social needs (such as income, housing), this being reflected in the growing health disparities between Māori and non-Māori (National Māori PHO Coalition, 2010). As a result, Whānau Ora was developed to address these issues (National Māori PHO Coalition, 2010). It incorporates a Kaupapa Māori paradigm and attempts to empower whānau through intersectional collaboration, integration, and co-ordination across a range of government agencies, engaging to accommodate the comprehensive needs of, as well as improve outcomes for whānau/families (Controller and Auditor General, 2015). Of particular interest is the higher rates of of heart disease, …show more content…
Māori CHWs can be employed by Māori health providers and Primary health organisations that want to increase integration, cultural competence, and quality of service delivery for high needs families with LTCs (Boyd & Horne, 2008). The Kaiāwhina will work intimately alongside the mobile nurse in outreach services as well as collaborate with multidisciplinary health care teams (including general practitioners, specialists and allied health professionals) in managing whānau with LTCs (Centers for Disease Control, 2011). The Māori CHW is especially valuable to this team. Māori CHWs do not deliver clinical care or replace the mobile nurses, but rather, they complement the initiative by increasing the variety of available extensive services (Spencer, Gunter, & Palmisano, 2010). They do this by acting as a navigators through the complicated social and health systems. CHWs are the frontline public health workers who are respected and trusted members of the community they work with (Findley & Matos, 2015). This unique connection, along with the kaupapa Māori approach allows Māori CHWs to act as mediators between social services (while the mobile nurse mediates health services) and whānau to enhance the quality, cultural competence and integration of (social) services provided by the mobile nursing …show more content…
Together with whānau, they can determine problems through a home visit (with the mobile nurse), set goals, and then provide connections to relevant services. Issues could be as simple as a lack of transportation (Sheridan, et al., 2011). More specifically, the Kaiāwhina is tasked with arranging transport assistance, translators, childcare, financial services to enable whānau to attend health care appointments when required – promoting continuity of care (Tui Ora, 2013). They are responsible for linking families to social services (such as financial assistance) and arranging appointments and payments as well as attending appointments with whānau for support if needed (Tui Ora, 2013). The Kaiāwhina will also provide services that encourage whānau to engage in better self-management of LTCs by education, raising awareness and taking part in prevention programmes (Tui Ora, 2013). Additionally, they can build whānau and community capacity by increasing self-support and health knowledge, serving as community educators, informal counselling, advocacy, and social support (Rosentha, et al., 2010). Incorporating a Māori CHW component into the kaupapa mobile nurse initiative will likely strength it. The Māori CHW serves to address social issues of whānau with LTCs while the health-focused mobile nurse deals with, for example, diabetes issues (Russell,