Nurturing well being An innovative and mobile health service focused on addressing chronic conditions
How did the Pouwhenua Clinics come about? In September 2009 Associate Minister of Health, Tariana Turia launched Te Ao Auahatanga Hauora Maori: the Maori Health Innovation Fund. Poutiri Trust and its provider network put a proposal to the fund for a health service model designed to increase access for whanau, hapu, iwi, and communities to specialist clinicians through the provision of mobile nurse specialist services. Poutiri Trust was one of 32 Maori health organisations throughout Aotearoa who received funding assistance that they used to design and develop the Pouwhenua Clinics. How do the Pouwhenua Clinics work? Clusters of Poutiri Trust health providers will hold specialist clinics on set days each month. The specialists who come to clinic on that day specialise in nutrition and podiatry, although other specialists will be brought as and when required. The specialist clinics are nurse-led and participating providers host the cluster clinics at the place they agree is most accessible and will work best. What do the Pouwhenua Clinics achieve? The Pouwhenua Clinics are designed to support Poutiri providers working with tangata whaiora /clients to address chronic conditions, including cardiovascular, diabetes and respiratory. They increase access to primary care and specialist services for clients throughout the Bay of Plenty within kaupapa Māori frameworks. Through the Pouwhenua Clinics non-clinical health workers and students also learn by working alongside clinical staff. This supports the future development of our health services to whanau, hapu and iwi and the communities they serve.