From 1 July 2025, Tend Health will deliver urgent same-day care directly to its enrolled patients in the Bay of Plenty, following a 15-month transition period after formally giving notice to exit the region’s existing after-hours arrangement in April 2024.
“The current after-hours model has been unsustainable for our clinicians for some time. We’ve made the decision to establish an improved, clinically and operationally sound solution, one that puts both our patients and our clinicians at the centre” says Dr Graham Denyer, Tend’s Chief Medical Officer.
Tend’s after-hours model is designed to give patients multiple pathways to access the care they need. One key feature is Online Now, a 24/7 telehealth service that connects patients with a clinician, usually within three hours. This platform enables safe, effective triage and has already helped ease pressure on in-person services. Importantly, it’s available to both enrolled patients and casual patients across the wider Bay of Plenty community.
Since its launch, Online Now has proven very effective, with close to 5,000 appointments booked by Bay of Plenty residents alone. This strong uptake highlights both the demand for convenient care options and the value of providing accessible, timely support outside of traditional clinic hours.
Dr Denyer continues: “Since we integrated the Chadwick clinics into the Tend network, we’ve seen a clear drop in visits to urgent care, about a 7 percent reduction overall, and in more recent months, with the model more fully embedded, as high as 25 percent. This is a strong sign that our patients are able to access care when they need it and that Tend is already contributing meaningfully to provision of after-hours primary care in the Bay of Plenty.”
In addition, for patients who need to be seen in person, Tend will also run dedicated Same-Day Care Clinics from Monday to Friday, with extended weekday hours to ensure access into the early evening for urgent, same-day appointments. From July, on weekends and public holidays, Tend will offer Same-Day Urgent Appointments, delivered by GP and nurse teams for cases where telehealth isn’t suitable. These appointments will be offered by referral, either through Online Now consultations or on-the-day nurse triage, ensuring patients receive timely, coordinated care.
To support the rollout, Tend is also launching a targeted health promotion campaign to help enrolled patients understand how to access same-day care.
The value of Tend’s service has already been recognised by patients using the 24/7 Online Now offering. Tend recently received feedback from a Tauranga patient, on its Online Now service, “I certainly recommend the Tend app. The doctors are local, compassionate, and actually listen to what you have to say. The $79.95 fee to have a doctor call you is far less than the $130 you’d pay at urgent care in Tauranga. Thank you for being there when I needed you most.”
“Tend is committed to delivering accessible, high-quality care for our communities while maintaining a healthy and sustainable primary care workforce. Evolving our model is part of that commitment, ensuring we continue to meet the needs of our patients and clinicians in the most responsive and effective way,” adds Dr Denyer.
Tend is currently enrolling patients at all its clinics across the Bay of Plenty region. Once enrolled, patients enjoy cheaper fees and access to a wider range of medical services.
Tend Health has been approved to become its own Primary Health Organisation (PHO), enabling the company to contract directly with Te Whatu Ora and better serve its rapidly growing enrolled population across New Zealand.
Tend’s integrated network now supports over 80,000 enrolled patients through a single patient record and a unified digital infrastructure, with up to 100,000 more expected to join in the next 12 months. Tend's model is purpose-built to deliver consistent, high-quality care at scale.
This milestone reflects years of focused investment in Tend clinics and digital infrastructure. The company has built a powerful platform that enables seamless virtual and in-person care, driven by a single patient record and real-time health data.
By embedding measurable outcomes, smarter decision support, and enhanced continuity of care, Tend is already delivering services well beyond the traditional PHO remit, making care more proactive, equitable, and effective for the communities it serves.
Becoming their own PHO marks a significant milestone in Tend’s mission to provide accessible, modern, and patient-centred healthcare. It enables them to streamline funding flows, reduce unnecessary administrative layers, and deliver more coordinated, efficient care across the communities it serves.
“We welcome this step and see it as a natural extension of the work we’re already doing to deliver more integrated, accessible, and patient-centred primary care. We're proud to be trusted to take a more direct role in shaping the future of healthcare” said Cecilia Robinson, Co-CEO of Tend. “But the job is far from done. The current PHO model is outdated, fragmented, and increasingly disconnected from the needs of modern general practice. It’s time to flip the power dynamic, primary care providers should have the choice to commission PHOs for support, not the other way around.”
This position echoes the findings of the 2020 Health and Disability System Review, which recommended enabling general practices to contract directly with the government, a shift that would streamline funding and improve accountability across the sector.
“We believe in a future where all general practices, regardless of size or structure, can contract directly with Te Whatu Ora,” Robinson said. “That’s how we’ll drive more funding to the frontline, support equity and innovation, and ultimately improve the health care experience for every New Zealander. Until that happens, we’re working within a dysfunctional system well past its use-by date.”
Tend acknowledges the support and collaboration of Te Whatu Ora in reaching this milestone and remains committed to working alongside Te Whatu Ora and other sector partners to modernise New Zealand’s primary care system, putting patients, not bureaucracy, at the centre
Further details:
When will this come into effect? The current practices which Tend has given notice on will transition by 1 July 2025.
How many patients will experience the benefit of this new PHO? Initially, around 80,000 enrolled Tend patients will be transitioned, with an estimated additional 100,000 patients expected to move across over the following 12 months.
How does this benefit patients? Tend patients benefit from a more coordinated, seamless healthcare experience, with services delivered through a single patient record and unified digital infrastructure. This enables continuity of care, easier access to after-hours, 24/7 support, faster referrals, and a more personalised care approach based on comprehensive health data.
How does this benefit clinicians? Clinicians gain access to a centralised, integrated digital system that reduces administrative burden and improves clinical workflows. It also enhances data-driven decision-making, supports team-based care, and gives clinicians better visibility of a patient’s health journey across the network.
You say that Tend already operates as a PHO, can you give examples of this? Yes, Tend already delivers many core PHO functions including:
Enrolment and capitation management
After-hours clinical care coordination
Health promotion and education via digital and in-person channels
Clinical governance and quality improvement initiatives
Population health programmes, including screening and immunisation outreach
Data reporting to Te Whatu Ora
What type of after-hours services does Tend provide? Tend provides 24/7 access to care through a mix of online consultations, phone triage, and extended in-person hours at select clinics.
All New Zealanders now have access to more around-the-clock healthcare with the expansion of Tend's Online Now doctor service, providing GP consultations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the Tend app.
This significant enhancement to healthcare accessibility comes at a crucial time, as local after-hours options become increasingly limited and expensive.
"Winter is our busiest time of year, with wait times for GP appointments often extending to several days," said Dr. Eileen Sables, GP at Tend Pakuranga. "By offering 24/7 online access to doctors, we're ensuring that Kiwis can get medical advice and treatment when they need it most, regardless of the hour. This service is particularly vital for families with children who may become unwell during the night and people who find it difficult to find the time to get to a doctor during work hours."
The service has already garnered positive feedback from patients, including world champion Dame Valerie Adams, who appreciates the flexibility it offers.
"As a busy mum, finding time to take my children to doctor appointments can be challenging to fit around all of life’s day to day commitments," said Dame Valerie Adams. "The Tend app has been a game-changer for my family. Being able to see a doctor online at a time that suits us, without having to travel or sit in a waiting room, has made managing our healthcare so much more convenient."
Tend is not limited to online care. With 13 clinics across Aotearoa, in Canterbury, Bay of Plenty and Auckland, patients have the option of both in-person and online consultations.
The enrolment process is straightforward, with Tend handling all the paperwork. Enrolled patients benefit from lower pricing and full access to the app's features and medical services, designed to simplify health management.
For years, successive health ministers have underestimated the scale of New Zealand’s outdated digital health infrastructure. It’s often not until the end of a minister’s term that the true fragmentation becomes apparent.
That’s why it’s encouraging to see this issue finally receiving the urgent attention it deserves, kickstarted by new Health Minister Simeon Brown.
Over the past five years, digital health strategy has felt like a game of ping-pong: shifting priorities, rebrands and stop-start initiatives have left the sector uncertain about where to invest or how to plan. What’s needed now is a clear, consistent, long-term digital roadmap that gives clinicians, providers, innovators and vendors the confidence to build for the future, not just respond to the present. Encouragingly, that now appears to be under way.
Because the reality is this: our digital infrastructure is in crisis. People often reference the leaking pipes at Middlemore, but if that’s the state of our physical plumbing, our digital systems are even worse. Think of a hospital with an electrical system short-circuiting across departments, dangerous, dysfunctional and long overdue for repair.
Thousands of applications don’t talk to each other and many are so old they’re no longer supported. This isn’t a foundation for the future, it’s digital quicksand.
That’s why the Government’s announcement of a Shared Digital Health Record (SDHR) is more than welcome; it’s essential. With an initial $4 million investment, the SDHR aims to unify clinical records nationwide, improving continuity of care and enabling smarter, more connected services, including the rollout of 24/7 telehealth.
To fully realise its potential, further funding will be needed, particularly to expand the data set to include all clinical information and to ensure access for first responders, hospitals and specialists. But this initiative marks a critical step forward in streamlining care and improving patient outcomes.
The success of the SDHR will rely on HealthNZ clearly communicating how and where patient information will be shared. Fortunately, the experience of the South Island’s HealthOne system shows that most patients are more than willing to share their health information when it leads to safer, better care.
The real risk lies not with patients but with the mindset of some individual practice owners who treat this vital health data as if it were their own intellectual property or competitive advantage, locking it away from other parts of the health system where it could genuinely save lives.
Earlier this week, I saw the consequences of our fragmented system firsthand. A close friend was admitted to Auckland Hospital. The attending doctor entered, followed by a trainee buried by a stack of folders, the only source of patient information. There was no access to recent medical history from primary care, no digital notes available at the bedside, no AI assisting with note taking, and when a nurse later entered, they recorded vitals on a paper napkin. I wish I were joking.
This kind of disconnection is unacceptable. Our clinicians are working hard, but they’re being failed by a system that denies them the tools they need to deliver safe, high-quality care.
As a Swewi (Swedish-Kiwi), I was shocked when I first arrived in New Zealand and saw how disconnected the health system was. Countries such as Sweden have had integrated digital records for years. Sweden’s national system, NPO, allows authorised providers to access real-time data across hospitals, GPs and specialists, reducing admissions, accelerating emergency care and empowering patients. Estonia has gone even further, with 99% of its health system digitised.
A well-integrated SDHR would transform New Zealand’s system. It would connect GPs, telehealth providers, emergency responders, hospitals and specialists, allowing faster, safer and more accurate care, especially in urgent situations. It would also spare patients the exhausting and often distressing experience of repeatedly retelling their medical history. And crucially, it would support better public health planning, using anonymised data to track trends, target interventions and inform long-term strategy.
The combination of SDHR and 24/7 telehealth is a powerful one. With remote providers able to instantly access medical histories, care becomes not only more efficient but also more equitable.
The initial investment is a strong start. Now, we must continue and commit to building a modern, connected, patient-centred health system. One where the right information is available at the right time for every New Zealander.
Tend has revealed "Tend Scribe," their innovative, AI-driven tool has now helped draft over 20,000 clinical notes and easy to understand patient instructions. Tend Scribe listens to clinician-patient consultations and produces detailed draft clinical notes for review and finalisation by clinicians, delivering these to patients within minutes of their consultation.
Tend Scribe is built entirely in-house by Tend’s product team and clinicians to seamlessly integrate with their patient management system, Indici, and internal platform Tender. Underpinning the AI tool is the large language model Claude Sonnet from Anthropic and Amazon Web Services.
According to Tend's Chief Operating Officer, Josh Robb, this in-house approach ensures the highest quality of data while maintaining total control over the results, ensuring compliance with the NZ Privacy Act and Medical Council guidelines.
“There are off-the-shelf tools for this, but we designed and built Tend Scribe ourselves to enable strong clinical governance, control the quality of the data and ensure it fits seamlessly into our tech platform. It was a critical design goal that patient data never leaves our systems,” says Robb.
“By building it in-house, we have more control over the data it generates, ensuring high-quality, comprehensive notes that improve both the clinician and patient experience. Integration into our technology also enables us to collect data to continuously monitor quality, safety and equity of the tool, in a way that would not be possible with a third-party product,” adds Robb.
For clinicians: Saving time, enhancing patient connection
For clinicians, Tend Scribe allows them to fully focus on their patients without the distraction of typing during consultations. Doctors no longer need to spend time during or after appointments writing clinical notes about what was discussed, as the AI generates a comprehensive and structured summary.
The tool was initially launched for Tend’s telehealth service, Online Now, and now has expanded to the in-clinic setting with it being used in 65 percent of primary care consults. Around 72 percent of Tend’s GP’s have opted to use it with an estimated 30 percent increase in productivity for online consultations.
Tend GP Dr. Sally McLaren, who has been using Tend Scribe for several months in both her clinic and online consultations, was initially sceptical but is now a strong advocate of the tool. “At first, I was a bit dubious, but now I absolutely love it. I can really sit and listen to my patients, and it saves me so much time and stress. I’m completely sold on it and would recommend it to all my colleagues.”
Dr. Mary Hung echoes this sentiment. “Tend Scribe has made a positive difference in the time saved from not having to type up notes. It also allows me to focus more on my patients during the consultation. Every time I review the notes afterward, I’m amazed at how well the AI captures the relevant details and organises them. It’s especially helpful for managing complex cases. It gets a big tick from me.”
Outside the productivity gains, the comprehensive nature of the notes ensures continuity of care, particularly in Tend’s team-based care model, where accurate and thorough records support ongoing patient care.
Tend’s Chief Medical Officer Graham Denyer emphasises the importance of this advancement. “The long-term data quality implications are immense. In general practice time constraints often impact note quality. Tend Scribe ensures consistent, detailed, and well-structured clinical notes, enabling improved multidisciplinary care and patient safety.”
For patients: Clear, comprehensive summaries
Patients benefit from receiving a clear, detailed summary of their consultation, including any action plans and safety netting, shortly after their appointment.
A recent patient, Sarah, was impressed by the level of detail and care reflected in her notes. "Right after my appointment, simple and clear notes popped up in my app—no confusing shorthand or acronyms, just easy-to-read details of our discussion and a reassuring action plan that made me feel truly heard. I love having access to such detailed notes - it gives me a sense of control over my care, and is super convenient if the condition crops up again."
Sample Tend Scribe notes
Proven and trusted
One of the key benefits of developing our own tool is the ability to maintain close oversight of clinical quality and safety," says Denyer. "For instance, across the 20,000 consultations completed using Tend Scribe, we can confidently report that over 99 percent achieve high scores on a validated quality assessment tool even before any edits are made by our clinicians.”
Tend Scribe has been in action since April 2024 in Tend’s Online Now service and is now available in all Tend clinics for patients who use the Tend app. Patient consent is always obtained before using the technology and uptake has been overwhelmingly positive with 99.6 percent of patients agreeing to use Scribe.
Importantly, Tend Scribe is not used for diagnostics, but simply to enhance the efficiency and quality of clinical documentation.
With Tend Scribe, Tend patients can expect an elevated level of care, and Tend’s clinicians can work more efficiently, all while maintaining the personal connection that is essential in healthcare.
Cecilia Robinson and her husband James founded Tend in 2020, a digital-first healthcare provider offering comprehensive online and in-person GP services. With advanced technology and clinical expertise working together, Tend is making healthcare more accessible. Already one of the country’s largest healthcare providers, it’s been praised for its innovation and ability to meet the pressing need for change. NZBusiness sat down with Cecilia for a discussion on entrepreneurship, the ‘why’ behind Tend, and the challenges New Zealand faces in transforming healthcare.
There is no doubt that New Zealand’s healthcare system is in crisis. Doctors regularly raise the alarm about staff shortages and burnout while patients share stories of long wait times and often slow diagnoses. When Cecilia Robinson co-founded Tend, she was struck by the many obstacles facing the industry, especially primary healthcare.
She describes the system as “quite broken,” saying that it impacts all other facets of healthcare. “Effective primary care should reduce pressure on emergency rooms and improve preventative care outcomes. But currently, it does not. Healthcare is, without a doubt, the most complex issue facing New Zealand.”
Cecilia points to issues such as an ageing GP workforce, inadequate replacements, and a funding model that doesn’t deliver necessary outcomes. The latter she says is the biggest challenge facing the sector – a lack of direction around outcomes-based care. “I don’t necessarily subscribe to the narrative that healthcare is entirely underfunded in New Zealand. We spend more than places like Singapore, but we’re not good at generating productivity and outcomes from how we spend,” she explains.
She also points to the fragmented nature of the system, where healthcare runs on “130 different systems” and doctors often use outdated platforms like Windows 7. “You can see your GP, then go to the emergency room, and the ER doesn’t even know who you are. It’s so fragmented, and it shouldn’t be,” she says.
When Tend launched in 2020, its mission was clear: “We want to help New Zealanders be the healthiest people in the world,” says Cecilia. Tend is not just an online service either, simultaneously opening physical clinics. Today, this dual infrastructure remains central to its approach with 25 clinics across New Zealand, Tend’s change management strategy involves hands-on transformative care, clinic by clinic. This includes integrating new technology and reviewing staff roles to align with an evolving healthcare model.
Dr Eileen Sables from Tend Pakuranga with Dame Valerie Adams
“Change management is not an app you give someone,” she explains, emphasising that true transformation requires reworking both the digital and physical aspects of healthcare. Tend services include medical examinations, certificates, mental wellness support, skin health services, repeat prescriptions online, and urgent prescriptions. The result? Simple: greater accessibility and control over personal health.
The woman leading the charge
The move into healthcare was deeply personal for Cecilia, an already successful entrepreneur and winner of EY’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013, Tend was driven by her own experiences with the system. After the devastating loss of two babies – a stillbirth and another baby at 17 weeks – she and James endured poor experiences with the healthcare system. They realised that to make a real difference, they needed to create a business that addressed the system’s challenges.
The now mother of three – Thomas, Leila, and Charlie – and New Zealand Innovator of the Year for 2024, is passionate about empowering women and helping working parents navigate their daily challenges.
Tend was founded with the purpose to help make New Zealanders the healthiest people in the world. Cecilia is confident this goal is achievable, especially given the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She envisions a future where New Zealanders can enjoy some of the highest life expectancies in the world, with Tend playing a key role in delivering better healthcare.
And she certainly has the proven track record to turn this goal into reality. Originally from Sweden, Robinson moved to New Zealand in 2005 to support her brother. On her first night, she met James Robinson, who would later become her husband and business partner. Together, they launched My Food Bag in 2012, transforming home cooking for Kiwis and growing one of New Zealand’s most successful start-ups, which soon exceeded $100 million in revenue.
Rethinking healthcare roles
A common sentiment in New Zealand is that we need more GPs. However, Cecilia believes that the healthcare industry’s problems cannot and will not be solved simply by increasing the number of doctors.
By 2032, New Zealand will have 1,000 fewer GPs, leaving over a million people without access to primary healthcare unless the model changes.
Tend aims to address this by triaging patients through its online doctor app and distributing care across a broader range of healthcare professionals, including nurses, nurse practitioners, health coaches, and pharmacists. This model allows highly skilled GPs to focus on complex cases while empowering other professionals to manage less critical health concerns. “We need to distribute the level of patient interactions across the broader workforce,” Cecilia stresses.
Patients can take control of their healthcare with the Tend app.
She also points out inefficiencies in the current system, where patients often use the same service, such as a GP visit, for minor conditions like a rash or UTI, which adds unnecessary strain to the system. “It’s not how you resolve the system pressures,” she emphasises.
While many healthcare companies focus on niche offerings, such as reproductive health or mental health apps, Tend takes a comprehensive approach. She explains that focusing on one aspect of health means “you don’t get the full view of the person.”
Innovating for a healthier tomorrow
Cecilia says that her path to entrepreneurship wasn’t defined by a single moment, but by a series of experiences. Describing herself as an “accidental entrepreneur,” she recalls her time as an au pair in America, which inspired her first business, Au Pair Link. This venture quickly grew into one of Australasia’s largest au pair agencies.
Fast forward to being recognised as Innovator of the Year is something Cecilia reflects on humbly, attributing Tend’s success to the collective effort of her team. “It’s definitely not about me; it’s about the team.”
Unlike her previous ventures, where ideas could move quickly from concept to market, healthcare innovation requires a much more cautious approach. “We have to get it right,” she says, acknowledging the high stakes involved in healthcare.
Despite resistance to change within the healthcare system, she remains focused on the long-term goal of making Tend one of New Zealand’s largest healthcare providers in the next decade, improving patient outcomes and delivering better care.
“Large, meaningful change” is what drives Cecilia. The complexities of the healthcare sector may present significant challenges, but for Cecilia, this only strengthens her resolve to transform the industry.
Cecilia is making meaningful change in more ways than one: this year, Tend launched the first Woman’s Health Week in NZ. “I couldn’t believe it. It was offensive to me that there wasn’t one,” The success of Women’s Health Week went beyond raising awareness – many women took actionable steps toward improving their health by scheduling check-ups.
Ultimately, her vision is for a seamless, personalised healthcare experience for all New Zealanders, where proactive care is integrated into everyday life. “It should just be delivered to you,” she says, believing that technology will play a key role in creating a more connected and efficient system.
Despite the challenges faced by healthcare in the country, Cecilia is optimistic: “I think we can become the best country in the world. Every day there’s a negative headline about healthcare in New Zealand, but I think we can turn it around. I want to be able to leave a better legacy for our Tamariki. I want my kids to be able to feel like they can grow up in New Zealand and have the best healthcare system.”
Tend Health is thrilled to welcome Ngāi Tahu Holdings as a shareholder, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to deliver state-of-the-art healthcare services across Aotearoa.
As New Zealand’s leading digi-physical healthcare provider, Tend is transforming how healthcare is accessed and experienced. Through its app, Tend has already facilitated 2.7 million interactions, serving 100,000 patients. The company supports over 135,000 enrolled patients and operates a network of 25 clinics from Auckland to Invercargill, with 11 of these fully integrated on the Tend platform by the end of September.
Cecilia Robinson, Founder and Co-CEO of Tend Health, is enthusiastic about the new partnership with Ngāi Tahu Holdings. "Welcoming Ngāi Tahu Holdings to Tend's register represents a substantial step forward for us. It underscores our dedication to engaging meaningfully with iwi and ensuring that our services align with the needs and values of the communities we serve."
Ngāi Tahu Holdings is an intergenerational New Zealand-focused investor and has a diverse investment portfolio. It supports iwi-focused outcomes, such as social and cultural programmes, as well as economic empowerment for Ngāi Tahu whānau now and in the future.
Ngāi Tahu Holdings Chief Executive Todd Moyle says Tend Health’s goal of improving healthcare outcomes for all New Zealanders strongly aligns with Ngāi Tahu values.
“We are proud to invest in Tend Health, which is embracing cutting-edge solutions to create a more equitable and accessible health service for whānau.
“This investment is part of our New Economy strategy to support innovative and sustainable businesses throughout the motu,” he says.
Tend’s Co-Founder and Director of Population Health and Equity, Dr Mataroria Lyndon, emphasises the significance of working with Ngāi Tahu Holdings. Tend is deeply committed to advancing health access and equity, as evidenced by one of our recent integrations where we significantly increased Māori enrolments at a medical centre from 8% to 18%, and Pacifica enrolments from 2% to 14%. This demonstrates our ongoing dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for all communities.”
Tend is currently expanding across the South Island, integrating additional clinics into its digi-physical platform as part of its broader growth strategy. Alongside this expansion, Tend is focused on significantly reducing wait times in primary care, developing innovative care delivery models, and streamlining administrative tasks. By implementing its AI-powered tool, Scribe, Tend also aims to boost workforce productivity and reduce administrative burden while continuing to improve healthcare outcomes.
As the network grows, Tend remains committed to leveraging technology and innovation to create a more sustainable and customer centric healthcare system across Aotearoa.
Encouraging Kiwi women to embrace the importance of their own wellbeing
Tend Health launches Te Wiki Hauora Wāhine/Women’s Health Week to raise awareness, educate, encourage and empower Kiwi women to prioritise their health and wellbeing.
Tend Health Founder and Co-CEO Cecilia Robinson says all too often Kiwi women put other’s wellbeing ahead of their own, suffering in silence while supporting their loved ones.
According to a new survey of female-identifying patients to understand their relationship with their own health and wellbeing, more than half (57%) of women don’t get regular annual health checks.
“When we asked everyday Kiwi women about their health, it became evident women can feel the need to shy away from discussing their health – both with medical professionals and each other,” says Robinson.
In fact, 40% of survey respondents didn’t feel comfortable talking about their health with their friends.
Furthermore, more than one-third (38%) have never talked with their mother or female caregiver about their periods, and more than half (58%) have never talked about menopause.
“This week, we’re encouraging all of Aotearoa New Zealand’s wāhine to take the reins of their health, to check up on each other, and to have those brave conversations with one another and medical professionals,” says Robinson.
“We have days, weeks and months dedicated to raising awareness for men’s health and wellbeing which is an important step. But our wāhine are precious too. They deserve a week in the health spotlight and a reminder that their health matters too.
“Better health for our wāhine benefits everyone. When women have access to quality healthcare, they’re better able to achieve their goals, participate in the workforce, contribute to economic growth, and support their families' health and wellbeing. Women's health is whanau health.”
As part of the inaugural Te Wiki Hauora Wāhine, the Women’s Health Week website hosts stories, blogs, videos and podcasts covering a wide range of topics to act as an educational resource.
Kiwibank is proud to support Tend’s Women’s Health Week to encourage more women to be aware of the options for them to take an active role in their health journey.
Kiwibank Chief Executive Steve Jurkovich said, “Raising awareness and supporting women to engage in important conversations about their health and prioritise their wellbeing is essential.
“Not only does this lead to better health outcomes, but it also provides an opportunity to strengthen family and community dynamics. Fostering a supportive environment is better for everyone. We know that good health is a key factor in achieving other life goals, including financial stability and success.”
Go online here to complete the Kiwibank Health Personality quiz, a fun and easy way for women to start thinking about how they approach their health. It includes tips and the chance to win 1 of 10 $1,000 Prezzy cards thanks to Kiwibank.
Key sponsor Denise Cosgrove, The Selwyn Foundation Chief Executive, says it’s important for Aotearoa New Zealand to have open, frank discussions about women’s health - especially when it comes to vulnerable older women and their needs.
“As a society, we can sometimes lose sight of the most vulnerable in our communities. As our population ages, it’s paramount we continue to support the wellbeing of our older wāhine and enable them in getting preventative screening and other health checks wherever possible,” says Cosgrove.
Throughout Te Wiki Hauora Wāhine, there will be a range of activities and topics covered with support from many famous Kiwi women sharing their stories including Dame Valerie Adams, Stacey Morrison, Matilda Green, Suzanne Paul and Megan Alatini – to name just a few.
There will also be insights from prominent female clinicians and healthcare experts including Dr Eileen Sables, Dr Alex Lafaele, Dr Lee Mathias, Dr Olivia Smart, Dr Amelia Ryan, Dr Bev Lawton, Dr Jenny Kruger, Lily Henderson and Michelle Kasey.
Additional partners include My Food Bag Fresh Start, The Period Place, Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, Talk Peach Gynaecological Awareness, EttieKits, femfit® by JUNOFEM, MenoMe and Embodyme.
The much-anticipated opening of Tend Pāpāmoa Medical Centre was marked by a special ceremony on Friday led by respected kaumātua and leadership from Ngāi Te Rangi, who blessed the site with a karakia. The new clinic, which will officially open its doors on June 10, 2024, represents a fresh chapter in the provision of healthcare services to the Pāpāmoa community.
"As one journey ends, another one begins to provide more accessible and equitable healthcare," said Dr Mataroria Lyndon, co-founder of Tend acknowledging the closure of the previous Pāpāmoa Pines Medical Centre and the beginning of Tend Pāpāmoa.
Kaumātua and leadership from Ngāi Te Rangi and Dr Mataroria Lyndon, Joe Rosser from Tend Health.
The recent closure of Pāpāmoa Pines Medical Centre in early March 2024 highlighted the urgent need for additional healthcare services in the area, a need that the new Tend Pāpāmoa clinic aims to address.
As winter approaches, the strain on New Zealand's healthcare system becomes increasingly evident. With GP resources stretched to their limits, the opening of a new medical clinic in Pāpāmoa is a welcome relief for patients, manawhenua, and the wider community.
New Zealand has been grappling with a critical shortage of General Practitioners (GPs) for several years. The pressures on the healthcare system are particularly pronounced in rapidly growing areas like Pāpāmoa, where the demand for medical services often outstrips supply. This imbalance has led to longer wait times, reduced access to care, and increased stress on existing medical facilities and staff.
The opening of Tend Pāpāmoa comes at a critical juncture, says Cecilia Robinson, Founder and Co-CEO of Tend Health. “As winter illnesses begin to surge, the availability of a new medical facility is incredibly exciting and provides a beacon of hope for residents. Our goal is to ensure that the Pāpāmoa community have access to timely and high-quality medical care, especially as we head into winter when demand for healthcare services typically increases."
Tend Health is known for its innovative approach to healthcare delivery, leveraging technology to improve patient access and reduce administrative burdens on clinicians. The new clinic will incorporate these innovations, making healthcare more convenient and accessible.
The Tend Pāpāmoa Medical Centre will also offer digital healthcare services, which have proven to be highly effective in reducing wait times. The "Online Now" urgent care service, for example, offers virtual appointments, this service will be crucial during the winter months, allowing patients to timely access 7am to 9pm seven days a week.
"Our commitment to delivering the best healthcare experiences is at the very heart of what we do. We believe healthcare should be equitable, accessible, and designed for you and your whānau," Robinson concluded. "We hope that the opening of Tend Pāpāmoa, coupled with the recent integration of Tend Bethlehem, Tend Greerton and Tend South City in the Bay of Plenty, offers hope to the local community."
