Wai Mauri – the heartbeat of healing in general practice

Three and a half years ago, Dale Wilson lost both her parents less than three weeks apart. First, her mum, then not long after that, her father died following high-risk heart surgery. It was a season of heartbreak and a turning point.

“The clinic became my grieving process,” says Dale. “It helped me see how many of us carry trauma, how long we carry it for – sometimes 30, 40 years. And how important it is to have space to heal properly. Not just physically, but our wairua, our hinengaro. Everything.”

From that personal journey, Wai Mauri Health was born. A kaupapa Māori rehabilitation service based in Kirikiriroa Hamilton, Wai Mauri Health offers the full scope of rongoā Māori. Dale’s vision is to demonstrate how rongoā Māori connects us to our spiritual healing, using karakia, waiata, and rākau rongoā – tools rooted in mātauranga Māori and focused on restoring mauri.

What sets this initiative apart is not just what’s offered, but where. In partnership with Pinnacle and its general practice ownership arm, Primary Health Care Ltd (PHCL), Wai Mauri Health has become one of the first services in Aotearoa New Zealand to formally integrate rongoā Māori into general practice settings, supported by ACC.

The pilot at PHCL practice NorthCare Pūkete Road represents a new model of culturally grounded, wraparound care. Patients are referred through ACC rehabilitation and sensitive claims pathways, with appointments delivered alongside clinical teams.

“We are proud to be offering this first-of-its-kind integration of rongoā Māori services within general practice. This is a meaningful step forward in making culturally grounded, holistic care more accessible, especially for those on a rehabilitation journey,” says Batami Pundak, Pinnacle’s deputy chief executive officer – PHCL.

Batami credits the strong collaboration between the Wai Mauri Health and the clinical team at NorthCare for making the work possible. “Working closely together has helped the wider clinical teams to get to know the service and truly see the added value it brings to their patients. It has created a genuine wraparound approach to care.”

The support and depth of knowledge of the rongoā practitioners is exceptional, she says, and feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive, with strong demand in particular from non-Māori patients who have not previously experienced rongoā Māori “We are seeing high levels of trust in the service and consistently full appointment books – a clear sign this model is working. We are excited about the potential to bring this approach to more practices.”

For Rāwiri Blundell, Pinnacle’s general manager Māori health and equity, the significance extends beyond individual care. “Integrating rongoā Māori into general practice supports the notion of a holistic and more culturally sensitive approach to healthcare; it recognises the value of traditional knowledge and practices in addressing the health needs of Māori communities and the wider community,” he says.

Rāwiri says rongoā Māori is “an essential step towards achieving health equity, offering alternatives alongside Western medicine to enhance wellbeing”.

“By addressing the challenges and considerations, healthcare systems can create a more inclusive and culturally responsive environment that all New Zealanders could benefit from.”

From a clinical perspective, Jo Scott-Jones, clinical director for Pinnacle and PHCL, describes the integration as “a unique opportunity to provide access to a way of care usually confined to local community or kaupapa Māori providers”.

“Studies show collaboration between a rongoā provider and a surgeon adds value in connection, communication, kindness and care, for all involved.

“While more research is needed, early experiences show an intervention aligning with patients’ cultural beliefs, and reflecting their connection with whānau, wairua, hinengaro and tinana, makes empirical sense within mainstream models of psychosocial and holistic care.”

Wai Mauri Health’s unique skillset – combining rongoā Māori with physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychology – ensures the right treatment for each patient. “There is added confidence because they have met the requirements to be ACC-registered,” says Jo.

“Mainstream practice needs to do things differently and be seen to do things differently, to address systemic barriers for Māori. This is an exciting initiative for everyone concerned.”

But it hasn’t been without challenges. Dale recalls the early struggles including admin demands, inconsistent understanding of rongoā Māori within ACC, and the need to educate others, but says that through persistence, relationships and trust, the service is thriving.

“My mum gave us the name Wai Mauri,” Dale says. “She believed everyone has a mauri, a purpose. And our job is to uplift that. For others. For ourselves. That’s what we’re doing here.”

Wai Mauri Health continues to grow, staying true to its kaupapa Māori roots while contributing to a more holistic approach within general practice.

“We’re not just adding another service,” Dale says. “We’re changing how care feels. When whānau walk in here, they’re not just being treated. They’re being uplifted.”