Our health priorities

Health is determined in the places where we live, love, work and play. In our homes, workplaces, everywhere, every day.

About every three years, we survey the region to determine how well health needs are being met, and detect any emerging trends in health and disease patterns. This information is available in Health Needs Analysis reports.

In the past, at 3-5 five year intervals, the DHB constructed a strategic plan for improving the health of our region. This has been replaced by the Regional Services Plan, where the six DHBs in the lower North Island collaborate on the strategic health  priorities for our shared population. In addition, there is considerable work being  done at a subregional level with Capital and Coast, Hutt v

Health priorities for our population (rather than for individuals) are detailed in the 'Keeping Well' Public Health plan for the greater Wellington region. Link to the Public Health pages on this website for more information.

Based on the information last gathered in 2007, our current health priorities are:

In addition, there are six national health targets set by the Minister of Health, upon which DHBs report and are ranked quarterly.

Wairarapa has a new strategy for enhancing Primary Health Care - see the Tihei Wairarapa plan.

Supporting healthy lifestyles is a key strategy in positively affecting the the health and wellbeing of all the Wairarapa's health priority groups. It has the added benefit of improving the health of the rest of the population too!

This challenge of supporting healthy choices and healthy lifestyles is being met by many groups in our community, working together in both Operational and Steering groups that break down former barriers between groups with the same aims.