Blog
As one of three PHO chief executive negotiators in the PSAAP funding negotiations, Sarah Stevenson reflects on why local voices matter in the decisions being made about primary care, especially in an election year. By Sarah Stevenson, WBOPPHO Chief Executive This is a year in which a great deal that shapes general practice is being … Read more
Being understood and acknowledged is part of being cared for. For many whānau, walking into a general practice or another health care setting can feel unfamiliar. Hearing your own reo, your own language, can be the thing that shifts how welcome you feel. And when people feel at ease, they are more likely to come … Read more
Welcome to the September 2026 edition of Te Rerenga. This issue celebrates the people and teams behind local primary care, and shows how WBOPPHO’s services are responding to community needs through partnership, advocacy and everyday manaakitanga. The edition leads with WBOPPHO Clinical Director Dr Claire Isham, who received the Community Service Medal from the Royal … Read more
Nearly 1,900 submissions nationwide informed the final criteria, protecting cover for Māori and Pacific Peoples, and extending it to thousands more. WBOPPHO welcomes Pharmac’s decision to widen access to four type 2 diabetes medicines from 1 September 2026. It responds to a key concern raised in the organisation’s submission during the consultation period: that the … Read more
Dr Claire Isham, who also works as a specialist GP in Tauranga, received the honour from RNZCGP at a ceremony in Auckland on Saturday. Dr Claire Isham, WBOPPHO’s Clinical Director and specialist GP at Ngāti Kahu Hauora ki Tauranga, has been awarded the Community Service Medal by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners … Read more
WBOPPHO received with disappointment the passing of the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Act 2026 in July. It reduces the statutory provisions for equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi that sat at the heart of the 2022 legislation, and resets the purpose, objectives and functions of Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand. WBOPPHO’s submission was … Read more
The Bay of Plenty service is one of two finalists announced today for Best Mental Health Programme. Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation (WBOPPHO) has been named a finalist in the 2026 New Zealand Primary Healthcare Awards | He Tohu Mauri Ora for its BeingWell service. The Bay of Plenty programme is one of … Read more
Welcome to the June 2026 edition of Te Rerenga. This issue highlights how locally led primary care continues to improve access to health services across the Bay of Plenty through innovation, partnership and community leadership. The edition leads with Mental Health Minister Hon Matt Doocey’s visit to BeingWell, where he saw first-hand the programme’s growth … Read more
Following months of negotiations and sector consultation, 86% of voting practices accepted a package that will deliver an additional $120.6 million to primary care and introduce a new capitation model. Te Whatu Ora Health NZ, Primary Health Organisations (PHOs), Contracted Providers and Te Kāhui Hauora Māori have confirmed today that the PSAAP Heads of Agreement … Read more
The first students from the new Graduate School of Medicine are expected in the rohe from 2029, following the success of a proposal from WBOPPHO, local iwi and regional partners. The Western Bay of Plenty has secured a place in The University of Waikato’s new Graduate School of Medicine programme, with medical students expected to … Read more
