Public Health

Public health is about keeping people healthy and improving the health of populations rather than treating diseases, disorders and disabilities in individuals.

It uses a population health approach which involves taking into account all factors that determine health (such as shelter, education, food, sufficient income, a stable ecosystem, sustainable resource use, social justice, equity) and then planning how these factors can be tackled.

"The basis of effective public health action is not a single service or intervention, but the organised efforts of society itself."
Don Matheson, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Health

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Primary Health Organisations (PHO's)

Primary health care is the first contact you have with health professionals - for example, when you visit your family doctor (general practitioner). You do not need any referral to use primary health care.

What is a PHO?

Primary Health Organisations are collectives of health services who work together to improve the health of people in a community. Every person in Te Tai Tokerau should be enrolled through their GP with a PHO. Health providers who belong to PHOs include GPs, Maori providers and community organisations. Through the information that the PHO gathers they can get a clear picture of the health problems in their area and put in place programmes to improve and promote health. Reaching the highest need people enrolled is a PHO priority.

PHOs get a set amount of funding from the government to subsidise a range of health services. The funding is based on the numbers and characteristics (eg, age, sex, ethnicity) of people enrolled with them.

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