Our vision
To support the development, exchange and promotion of policies and strategies which advance health outcomes for the population of New Zealand through our member organisations
What we do
The Primary Health Alliance (previously known as the PHO Alliance) was formally established as an Incorporated Society in September 2006 to provide national leadership on key issues affecting the Primary Health Care Strategy and Primary Health Organisations in New Zealand. Our objectives are to:
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Advocate, with regards to health and wellbeing, on behalf of Members for the benefit of the population of New Zealand✓
Promote primary and community health through integrated multi-agency and multi-professional partnerships✓
Foster effective partnerships between providers and communities✓
Foster and nurture key strategic relationships at a local and national level✓
Encourage collaboration and the sharing of resources, good practice and information across Members and the wider sector✓
Contribute to the development and implementation of health policy at a national level✓
Promote and support enrolled list-based primary and community care✓
Promote General Practitioners as overarching clinical guardians for patient level primary and community care supported where appropriate by nominated care co-ordinators✓
Carry out other activities consistent with the charitable objects of the societyMeeting dates
Member meetings will be held on the following dates during 2017:
- Friday 3 March 2017 - General Meeting - Wellington
- Friday 16 June 2017 - General Meeting - Wellington
- Friday 1 September 2017 - Annual General Meeting - Wellington
- Friday 1 December 2017 - General Meeting - Northland/Waitangi
Executive Committee meetings will be held on the following dates during 2017:
- Tuesday 14 February 2017 7:30pm via teleconference
- Tuesday 16 May 2017 7:30pm via teleconference
- Tuesday 15 August 2017 7:30pm via teleconference
- Tuesday 14 November 2017 7:30pm via teleconference
Member meetings will be held on the following dates during 2018:
- Friday 2 March 2018 - General Meeting - Wellington
- Friday 1 June 2018 - General Meeting - Wellington
- Friday 7 September 2018 - Annual General Meeting - Wellington
- Friday 7 December 2018 - General Meeting - Venue tbc
Executive Committee meetings will be held on the following dates during 2018:
- Tuesday 13 February 2018 7:30pm via teleconference
- Tuesday 15 May 2018 7:30pm via teleconference
- Tuesday 14 August 2018 7:30pm via teleconference
- Tuesday 13 November 2018 7:30pm via teleconference
What is a PHO?
PHOs are predominantly funded by district health boards to support the provision of essential primary health care services, mostly through general practices to those people who are enrolled with the PHO.
Primary health care relates to the professional health care received in the community, usually from a general practitioner (GP), practice nurse or allied health professional. Primary health care covers a broad range of health and preventative services, including health education, counselling, disease prevention and screening.
A PHO provides services either directly or through its provider members and network or contracted providers. These services intend to improve and maintain the health of the entire enrolled PHO population, as well as providing services in the community to restore people’s health when they are unwell. A key aim is to ensure GP services are better linked with other primary and secondary health services (such as allied health services and specialist hospital services) to ensure a seamless continuum of care, in particular to better manage long term conditions, maintain the population's independence and prevent avoidable hospital admissions.
Our governance
The Primary Health Alliance is governed by its members, for its members. Our day-to-day governance is undertaken by an Executive Committee directly elected annually at the Annual General Meeting by individual members in line with the constitution of the organisation. The Executive Committee has up to 6 elected members and any number of additional co-opted members as required to provide the capacity and capability deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.
Our current Executive Committee members are:
- John Ayling, Primary Health Alliance chair
- Dr Angus Chambers, Christchurch PHO chair
- Bill Eschenbach, Rural Canterbury PHO chief executive officer
- Karen Guilliland, New Zealand College of Midwives chief executive officer
- John Hunter, Nelson Bays Primary Health chair
- Dr Denis Lee, GP and East Health Trust chair
- Dr Andrew Miller, GP and Manaia Health PHO chair
- Dr Mark Peterson, GP and Health Hawke's Bay deputy chair
- Richard Townley, Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand chief executive officer
A Chief Executive is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Primary Health Alliance through direct accountability to the Primary Health Alliance Chair. In keeping with the low-cost operating principles of the organisation, this post is part-time and predominantly supports, rather than leads, the sub-committee work-plan and programme set out below.
To fulfil and effectively discharge the charitable objects of the Primary Health Alliance whilst recognising the unique operating model, the Executive Committee oversees the following sub-committees through which the significant value-add for members and national influencing is secured:
- Clinical Leadership and Integration sub-committee
- Rural Health sub-committee
- Maori and Pacific Health sub-committee
- Finance sub-committee
- PHO Performance sub-committee
- PHO Services Agreement Amendment Protocol Group (PSAAP)
Each sub-committee is chaired by a member of the Executive Committee who is designated as the Primary Health Alliance lead for the remit of each sub-committee. The role of each sub-committee chair therefore includes, on behalf of all members:
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To be recognised as the Primary Health Alliance ‘champion’ for the relevant subject area✓
To develop and oversee the work-plan of the sub-committee and present it to the Executive Committee for endorsement✓
To support the appropriate development of members including the sharing of best practice and promulgation of learning✓
Where agreed with the Primary Health Alliance chair, acting as spokesperson with external agencies such as the Ministry of Health and the media✓
To represent the Primary Health Alliance, and members, on external working groups, panels and national forums as appropriateThe membership of each sub-committee is determined by the respective sub-committee chair and may include external [non-member] partners and stakeholders as well as Primary Health Alliance members as necessary to fulfil its work-plan. The sub-committees meet as frequently as necessary and use a range of electronic or face-to-face forums. It is anticipated that members undertake actions between meetings, with the support of the Chief Executive, to ensure that each sub-committee continues to add value to all members.