Te Manawa Taki is made up of five District Health Boards – Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Hauora Tairāwhiti, Taranaki and Waikato – and services the major population centres of Tauranga, Rotorua, Gisborne, New Plymouth and Hamilton.
Te Manawa Taki covers an area of 56,728 km2, or 21% of New Zealand’s landmass. 985,285 people (2020/21 population projections), including 265,360 Māori (27%) and 43 local iwi groups use the services of Te Manawa Taki
He kapa kī tahi - a singular pursuit of Māori health equity.
This vision reflects that Te Manawa Taki members will work in unison to achieve equity of Māori health outcomes and wellbeing through multiple means. ‘Te Manawa Taki’ (‘the heartbeat’) represents that we are always ‘ready to go’ and that we are willing to lead change that works, so that others may follow a proven path. To be effective regional change catalysts, we need a strong ‘heartbeat’
The Regional Equity Plan (PDF 5.5MB) represents the next three-year journey foe Te Manawa Taki members.
This Regional Equity Plan (PDF 5.5MB) is a significant milestone. It is the direct result of an enhanced Te Tiriti o Waitangi based partnership between Iwi and five DHBs. It epitomises the value of DHBs and Iwi engaging in respectful ways, not only to embed Te Tiriti in our health and disability system but also to do what is tika/right with regard to tackling one of New Zealand’s most persistent problems: Māori health inequity. Improving equity for Māori is an imperative of Article III and the Equity Principle of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The Regional Equity Plan (PDF 5.5MB) also acknowledges that Iwi have their own aspirations over and above this plan; and DHBs have numerous accountabilities they need to meet. Within this reality, DHBs and Iwi will seek mutual ways to support each other’s aspirations and accountabilities.