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WaitematÄ DHB is thought to be the first district health board in the country to create a role designed specifically to recruit more MÄori into its workforce.
Charlene Macrae, who is affiliated with NgÄ Puhi, NgÄti Kahu and NgÄti Kahungunu, ki Wairoa, has been appointed to fill the new MÄori Workforce Recruitment Consultant position.
She will help develop ways to incorporate kaupapa MÄori into the recruitment process for MÄori who are considering working for WaitematÄ DHB.
"This role is an amazing opportunity to get more MÄori to choose health as a career option and to choose WaitematÄ DHB," Charlene says.
The new role is part of WaitematÄ DHB’s ongoing commitment to improve MÄori health outcomes and to ensure its staff mix better represents the community that it serves.
"Having one person looking at the recruitment process to support the experience of our people coming through is incredibly positive," Charlene says. "It will allow that person to feel what I felt when I started here - a sense of belonging, a sense of connectedness and a sense of being proud to be MÄori."
The population WaitematÄ DHB serves is 630,000 with 7,500 staff. WaitematÄ DHB Director of Human Resources Fiona McCarthy says multiple initiatives are in place to try and boost the number of MÄori in the DHB’s workforce.
"WaitematÄ DHB is also the lead for the national Kia Ora Hauora Programme which supports more MÄori into health careers," says Fiona. "This latest development is another example of our commitment to equity."
WaitematÄ DHB chief advisor tikanga Dame Naida Glavish says recruiting more MÄori staff will help to address inequities and barriers for MÄori in the health system.
"Increasing our MÄori health workforce will significantly strengthen our capability to provide safe and effective services to our whole community," she says.
Charlene says encouraging more MÄori into the health workforce will be positive for everyone.
"We hope that transforming our recruitment will not only provide a better experience for MÄori applicants but have a domino effect through to other workforces and also into staff retention and patient experience," she says. "This work sits at the heart of the DHB’s values of compassion, everyone matters and cultural diversity. By revisioning our processes, we move towards equity for MÄori and everyone benefits."
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