Primary health organisations (PHOs) are the cornerstone of the Government's Primary Health Care Strategy which aims to improve the overall health of New Zealand’s population. PHOs are expected to:

• Improve and maintain the health of their populations and help restore people’s health when they are unwell. They provide essential population-based and personal first line services
• Work with groups in their populations (for example Maori, Pacific and lower income groups) that have poor health or are missing out on services to address their needs
• Demonstrate that they are working with other providers within their districts to ensure that services are co-ordinated around the needs of their enrolled populations
• Be funded by national formulae according to their enrolled populations
• Use a national enrolment system to enrol people through primary providers
• Demonstrate that their communities, iwi and consumers are involved in their governing processes and that the PHO is responsive to its community
• Demonstrate how all their providers and practitioners can influence the organisation’s decision making.
• Be not-for-profit bodies with full and open accountability for the use of public funds and the quality and effectiveness of services.

PHOs are funded through District Health Boards (DHBs) to provide coordinated and integrated primary care services for enrolled populations within their geographic locations.

Working with PHOs, Waitemata DHB aims to:

• Support closer links between primary health care providers and local communities
• Improve access to primary care services - especially for people who currently don’t use services and would benefit
• Strengthen health promotion and education, health keeping and wellness programmes, prevention of disease and health problems
• Enhance cultural competence in service delivery.

You can read more about the Government’s primary health care strategy on the Ministry Of Health website.