To increase Māori representation among its workforce MidCentral District Health Board has released its inaugural Māori Scholarship programme to current students and kaimahi working or seeking to work in health across the MidCentral region.

The Pae Ora Paiaka Whaiora Hauora Scholarship programme is in line with MidCentral DHB’s strategy of connecting and transforming primary, community and specialist care and achieving equity of outcomes across communities for Māori.

Kaimahi Ora, Whānau Ora, is the MDHB Māori Health Workforce Development Implementation Plan 2017-2022 aspires to achieve a flourishing workforce, flourishing whānau. Having a strong and capable Māori health workforce leads to improved health outcomes for whanau Māori by creating culturally responsive and engaging environments.

Equity for Māori is one of MidCentral’s key priorities as well as having a workforce that reflects the community it serves.

"Currently just nine percent of our health workforce is Māori and we are aiming to meet the population mix of 21 percent Māori using a variety of initiatives and the Pae Ora Paiaka Whaiora Hauora Scholarship programme is one of those," says Tracee Te Huia, General Manager Māori Health.

"The intent and focus of the scholarship programme is supporting the on-going professional development for Kaimahi Māori while supporting a new workforce, with a focus on growing our own.

"If we can get people from our local iwi engaged in study in the health field that’s half the battle won. Māori want to work for their own.

"We need more Māori staff both in community and hospital. This fund initially seeks to grow the workforce in areas of high utilisation by Māori.

MidCentral District Health Board governance and leadership are committed to investing in strengthening the cultural responsivity of our workforce.

"This scholarship programme is part of a full programme of work out to 2023 funded from within the Pae Ora Paiaka Whaiora Hauora Māori Directorates budget," says Tracee Te Huia.

While the scholarship funding focuses on building the capacity and capability of the Māori health workforce, MidCentral DHB also offers Tiriti o Waitangi and tikanga (Māori Cultural Responsiveness in Practice) training throughout the year for all staff in MDHB.

Potential applicants have the opportunity to attend one of several Zoom scholarship information sessions on;

- 27 January 9-10am

- 1 February 6-7pm

- 3 February 8-9am

- 8 February 6-7pm