Te Kōhao Health Signs Joint Venture Partnership Agreement & Brings Life-Saving Specialist Care Home To The Community

In a bold move to bring life-saving specialist care closer to the people, Te Kōhao Health is signing a new Declaration of Intent with Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, alongside a first-of-its-kind joint venture agreement with Pacific Radiology, this Thursday, 10 April from 1pm–2pm at Kirikiriroa Marae, Hamilton.

The announcement marks a significant shift away from hospital-centric healthcare, towards a community-led, whānau-first model at Te Kōhao’s Taakiri Tuu wellness and diagnostic centre designed to reduce inequities and save lives—starting with one of the most underserved regions, the high needs Enderley community.

“This is a transformational partnership in action,” says Lady Tureiti Moxon, Managing Director of Te Kōhao Health.

“For too long, our people have been forced to travel to hospitals, pay for parking they can’t afford, and sit in sterile rooms that feel nothing like home. This is about flipping the script—making services accessible, mana-enhancing, and located in the community where our people live.”

Cath Cronin, Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand Deputy Chief Executive – Te Manawa Taki looks forward to building good relationships as a strong foundation for this work.

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“This is an exciting opportunity for Health NZ to work together with Te Kōhao Health to address inequities for high-needs populations, including Māori. We enter this declaration of intent in a spirit of genuine collaboration to lift health outcomes for these groups,” she said.

“The Declaration sets the base of our relationships that will carry us through both celebrations and challenges we expect to journey through in the coming months and years.”

“This is the start of our work together not the end, our teams have a have a high level workplan they wish us to agree, and with this declaration now in place we expect the work to start in earnest.”

Another part of the announcement is the diagnostics and imaging provided through a new joint venture with Pacific Radiology (a member of the RHCNZ Medical Imaging Group), offering access to specialist services that are usually out of financial reach for many whānau.

“After the successful opening of the Te Kōhao Health Wellness and Diagnostic Centre in April 2024, we are proud to officially sign this joint venture. This partnership represents a crucial step in addressing health inequalities for Māori in the Waikato, ensuring that locals have access to essential medical imaging services.”

“By combining innovative care with strong local leadership, we remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of whānau in the region,” said RHCNZ Medical Imaging Group CEO Terry McLaughlin.

Lady Tureiti acknowledges RHCNZ is breaking new ground, recognising this contribution by the private sector.

“This is the first time Pacific Radiology has taken a step like this—moving beyond the usual business model and into community partnership,” says Lady Tureiti. “It’s about creating a new model of care that actually works for our people. Where earlier diagnosis becomes the norm, not the exception.”

The initiative focuses particularly on tackling the five biggest causes of mortality for Māori—cardiovascular disease, lung disease, breast cancer, cervical cancer, and bowel cancer. Breast and bowel cancer screening services, already underway at Taakiri Tuu since mid-2024, will be extended and integrated into a wraparound community care model.

“Many of our people don’t get seen early enough—because of cost, transport, or simply the clinical feel of hospital environments. What we’re creating here is a space that feels like us. It’s built on manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, and relationship-based care. And ultimately, it’s about saving lives.”

This joint venture represents not just a new service, but a powerful model of health equity, and a direct community-led response to the uncertainty and fragmentation created by successive restructures in the health system.

“This is what tino rangatiratanga in healthcare looks like,” says Lady Tureiti.

“Māori solutions - for Māori, by Māori —made possible through genuine partnership.”

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