Wellness Practitioner

Kaiwhakamanawa Ora are available to the enrolled population of general practice(s) and community settings, as one member of the integrated primary mental health and addiction team. They work closely with the Health Improvement Practitioner (HIP) and other members of the general practice team to support the enrolled population to meet their health and wellbeing needs.

Kaiwhakamanawa Ora come from a variety of backgrounds, and work with people experiencing issues that impact on their health and wellbeing. Health coaching aims to build people’s motivation and capability to better understand and self-manage their physical and emotional wellbeing needs. These can be related to long-term physical or mental health conditions or substance use and everyday emotional or physical wellbeing challenges. The Kaiwhakamanawa Ora supports people and their whānau to access community and online resources and supports to enhance their social, emotional and physical wellbeing.

The role is derived from the health coach role originally developed in the US and is adapted for the Aotearoa context. Examples of adaptations are the teamwork with the HIP and wider integrated primary mental health and addiction team, provision of support for self-management of emotional wellbeing as well as long term conditions, and delivery that is culturally safe and appropriate for the people of Aotearoa. The following are core components of the role:

• supporting wellbeing
• accessibility and responsiveness
• seamless delivery
• training, skills, and knowledge.

Contact Tiria Nicholas on t.nicholas@pirirakauhauora.org.nz or approach the doctors.