Covering a broad range of services, primary and community healthcare plays a key role in preventing illness, early intervention and reducing the impact of long-term conditions. Services provided include health education, disease prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment.
Primary and community healthcare also has a varied workforce, including:
It also comprises a range of providers and care models.
Te ao Māori and kaupapa Māori approaches to hauora exist within our system. Hauora Māori approaches and systems take a much broader view of health and wellbeing than the predominant biomedical treatment models.
Te Aka Whai Ora will be working on opportunities to consider options for equitable and sustainable funding for hauora Māori providers.
The vision for primary and community healthcare
As set out in the Cabinet Paper(external link), the vision for the primary and community healthcare system in Aotearoa is that over the next 10 years, it will deliver high-quality and equitable care to New Zealanders in their local communities.
This will be underpinned by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Whānau will be able to access affordable care of their choice – and continuity of care by a team they trust – that protects and promotes health and wellbeing, and prevents illness, injury and harm throughout their lives.
