Personal statement
Talofa lava, Tēnā koutou katoa.
I am Samoan, raised in South Auckland, now a GP Practice owner in partnership with my husband Leroy (Ngati Hine, Ngati Maniapoto - Physiotherapist). We have three sons and as a working mother I know the sacrifice of working while raising a family and the importance of extended whanau support in maintaining work-life balance.
We have two clinics in Northland; one rural and one high needs urban (a Neighbourhood Healthcare Home practice). Through networking our team of GPs, nurses/nurse practitioner, healthcare assistant, social work, allied health and community NGOs work to meet the needs of our enrolled population. Our team hosts medical students, PGY2s, GP registrars and seminar sessions each year.
I am passionate about health equity and have played an active role in establishing the Stop Gout Programme in Northland and completed research into school-based health services. I clinically practice three days a week including a Kura Kaupapa school clinic and started virtual consults five years ago so understand the potential and limitations of technology. I am currently Clinical Director across Manaia and Te Tai Tokerau PHOs and over the past four years have held portfolios in Youth Health, Women’s Health, Child Health and Long-Term Conditions.
I have established skills in governance in both health and education and have previously chaired the Board of Te Tai Tokerau PHO and Northland Clinical Governance Forum. I am the current Vice-Chair of the RNZCGP Pacific Chapter and their current NAC representative.
I want the future of the RNZCGP to be dynamic. Priorities include rural and high needs areas having access to virtual lectures during undergraduate training. Integrated learning is something NZ has not yet embraced. I would like to cultivate collaborative relationships with allied health colleges and explore programmes that support collective training in order to strengthen our primary care voice. For GPEP1-3, education programmes need the local and specific knowledge of our chapters and regions. Postgraduate papers should be funded along similar lines to DHB funded registrars.
GP Fellows should be distinguishable as experts in primary care and we need to be major influencers of policy changes going forward. GPs should be taught and assessed in management of consults including extended whanau in a culturally appropriate way. Knowing the needs and priorities of our local communities and having this data available in real time will create a strong College. Income equity, irrespective of the type of clinic we work in or our gender, is essential and requires further investigation to see how this can be achieved.
I am passionate about the future of primary care in NZ and believe the way forward is through establishing and strengthening relationships with all stake-holders within and external to the College. I believe our College is poised to play a pivotal leadership role in meeting the needs of an ever-changing diverse primary care workforce and I look forward to the opportunity of representing and supporting my many colleagues across NZ.
If you'd like to contact me, please do so via email to anival@manaiapho.co.nz.
To see a full list of candidates, view the
2018 Presidential Election Candidates webpage.