New Health Minister Hon Simeon Brown with the teams from The Doctors Welcome Bay (left) and Tara Road (right), alongside WBOP PHO CEO Lindsey Webber, and MPs Sam Uffindell and Tom Rotherford.
NewHealth Minister Hon Simeon Brown visited The Doctors Welcome Bay, Tara Road Medical Centre, and Tauranga Accident and HealthCare on Tuesday, the 4th of February, as part of his first engagement in the region since taking on the health portfolio. WBOP PHO representatives, including CEO Lindsey Webber and Co-Chairs Dr Daniel McIntosh and Graeme Elvin, met with the Minister during the day. The agenda also included stops at Tauranga Hospital and Grace Hospital.
During the visit, Brown underscored the importance of keeping the patient at the centre, stating, “it’s all about the patient”. He emphasised primary healthcare as a key focus, and addressed priorities such as ensuring that New Zealanders have timely, quality access to healthcare services.
The Minister spent time listening to practice staff and clinicians at all three sites. At the general practices, the teams valued the opportunity to meet Minister Brown and represent the wider network in discussions about the challenges facing the sector. He expressed a strong desire to collaborate with front line staff and showed genuine interest in feedback from the teams. The practices were selected by the Ministry’s office with support from local MPs Sam Uffindell and Tom Rutherford.
WBOP PHO CEO Lindsey Webber said the visit demonstrated the Minister’s openness to understanding the challenges on the ground.
“We highlighted the strength of our close-knit relationships with general practices and iwi partners, and how these relationships position us well to contribute to solutions for some of the current challenges,” she said. “We felt heard, and we are grateful to the practices for stepping in on short notice to represent our primary care community,” Webber added.
From left to right: New Health Minister Hon Simeon Brown, local MPs Sam Uffindell and Tom Rutherford, and Tauranga Accident and Healthcare Business Manager David Gilbert.
At Tauranga Accident and HealthCare, urgent care challenges took centre stage. The team described the increasing complexity of cases as patients face challenges in accessing general practice. Webber noted that after-hours care is a significant service that needs attention. “The Minister’s visit gave us a chance to shine a light on what’s happening locally,” she said.
Addressing System Complexity
As part of his discussions, Minister Brown also expressed interest in simplifying the healthcare system. He acknowledged that historical bureaucracy has made the system overly complex and emphasised the importance of finding practical solutions to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
The WBOP PHO Co-Chairs found Brown’s kōrero encouraging. Dr Daniel McIntosh reinforced to the Minister that “continuity of care at the general practice level leads to better outcomes and higher life expectancy for patients”. Commenting on the visit, he noted that it provided a valuable opportunity.
“It’s essential for national leaders to hear first-hand from those on the frontlines of care. Our practices are committed to delivering excellent healthcare, but they need ongoing support to meet the growing needs of our communities”, he said.
Graeme Elvin highlighted the importance of WBOP PHO’s strong partnership with iwi in improving access to healthcare for whānau.
“This partnership plays a vital role in ensuring that our communities have greater access to care,” said Elvin. He also reinforced the role of equity in addressing healthcare disparities, noting that collaboration with iwi ensures services are tailored to meet the cultural and community needs of whānau.
The WBOP PHO is hopeful that today’s engagement will lead to meaningful, timely actions that strengthen primary care, promote equity, and ensure the long-term sustainability of healthcare in the region.
