What is a PHO?Primary Health Organisations are the local structures for delivering and co-ordinating primary health care services. PHOs bring together doctors, nurses and other health professionals (such as Maori health workers, health promotion workers, dieticians, pharmacists, physiotherapists, psychologists and midwives) in the community to serve the needs of their enrolled populations.
The first PHOs were established in July 2002 and there are now 81 PHOs around the country. District Health Boards worked with local communities and provider organisations to establish PHOs in their regions. 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 (e.g., age, sex, ethnicity) of people enrolled with them. That funding pays for:
The Locality Management Groups
Outside of Hamilton, the Waikato region is characterised by a significant number of smaller towns that largely serve rural communities. To ensure the Waikato PHO can respond to the issues and needs of those diverse and widespread communities, Local Management Groups (LMGs) have been established in cluster groups corresponding to ‘communities of interest’ for all areas in the Waikato PHO region
The Locality Management Group is a local decision making group for WPH. Their purpose is to provide the key link between the communities and WPH, acting as a community based steering group. The areas represented are; Hamilton, Thames/Coromandel, Central Waikato, Matamata, North Waikato, South Waikato, King Country and Taumarunui. The group provides:
The make up of the local management groups has evolved to include local representatives from the Police, Education, Local Council amongst others. Their objectives are to assist WPH to:
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