about us

Ko Hikurangi te maunga (Hikurangi is the mountain),
Ko Waiapu te awa (Waiapu is the river),
Ko Ngāti Porou te iwi (Ngāti Porou is the tribe).

We are one of the smallest and most unique
Primary Health Organisations (PHO) in New Zealand.
Ngāti Porou Oranga is a charitable trust; and the only Maori owned
and operated hospital in the world

Our Story

Te Whare Hauora o Ngati Porou - Te Puia Springs Hospital sits at the heart of the East Coast. Built in 1903 with gifted use of land and support from Te Whanau a Iritekura, it was extended to care for returning soldiers suffering from tuberculosis, and later a maternity annex was added in Waipiro Bay.

Over the last 115 years the people working within the hospital and clinics have looked after the health and well being of East Coast communities who often live 2 hours drive from town. During this time, the community has weathered devastating impacts of colonisation, World Wars,natural disasters and loss of vital infrastructure.  A lack of local opportunities and jobs caused one of NZ’s most significant urban drifts. These factors combined, have resulted in low incomes, few employment choices and the region suffering the highest level of premature mortality in New Zealand. A lack of population growth and government support threatened the viability of Ngati Porou Hauora -the only owned and run Maori hospital in the world. Despite the erosion of the community, winning ownership of the Hauora allowed a dedicated and resilient team to create unique and innovative models of community care. With smart management approaches and consistent support from our parent entity, Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou, our team have secured the short-term future.

Today, Ngati Porou Hauora is still the sole primary health care provider for a challenging geographic area that stretches across 200 km of coastline. Being the biggest employer on the East Coast, Ngati Porou Hauora also plays a critical role in the area's economy, injecting an additional $5.5 million of GDP through the employment of local people and funding contracts. In the face of adversity, the power and pride within was never lost. The desire to care for each other, to love and to laugh, and to see our communities thriving again will secure a healthy future and drive a holistic approach to health & well being to create positive change within one generation.

Those that are born on the East Coast, are of the East Coast; and Te Puia Springs Hospital (Te Whare Hauora o Ngāti Porou) sits at its heart. Built in 1903 with land gifted from Te Whānau a Iritekura, it was extended to care for returning soldiers with tuberculosis, and later a maternity annex was added in Waipiro Bay. 

Over the last 115 years, we have looked after the health and well being of East Coast communities who often live 2 hours drive from town. During this time the community has weathered devastating impacts of colonisation, World Wars, natural disasters and loss of vital infrastructure.  A lack of local jobs caused one of NZ’s most significant urban drifts. These factors combined, have resulted in low incomes, few employment choices and the region suffering the highest level of premature mortality in New Zealand. Despite the erosion of the community, reclaiming ownership of the Hauora has allowed a dedicated and resilient team to create unique and innovative models of community care. With smart management approaches and consistent support from our parent entity, Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou, our team have secured the short-term future. 

Today, Ngāti Porou Hauora is still the sole primary health care provider for a challenging geographic area that stretches across 200km of coastline. Being the biggest employer on the Coast, we also play a critical role, through the employment of local people and funding contracts. In the face of adversity, the power and pride within has never been lost. The desire to care for each other, to love and to laugh, and to see our communities thriving again will secure a healthy future. Our aim is to create positive change within one generation.

our portfolio

Main Hospital

Te Puia Springs Hospital sits in an area with natural springs flowing through. The logo represents the healing power of the water flowing up from the centre of the universe.

Family and child

Nāti Pēpi is a service for expectant and current parents of future generations.
This icon represents the care and entwined connection a mother and her child have, and the embrace of Whānau.

Health Centre

The Nāti Health icon acts as a point of connection to health care. Sheltered by the Iwi, Hapū and Whānau individuals thrive from within. The two halves stand for the overlap of the community and NPH.

Elderly Care

Nāti Pakeke is a service for community engaging elderly care. The elders are Nāti’s guardians of knowledge. Represented by an infinity symbol, wisdom is passed on from generation to generation in a respectful and caring way.

Natural Healing

Mt. Hikurangi and the first rays of light provide a fertile ground for natural healing and sustainable practices.

Research

The threads in the Nati Wānanga sub-logo represent NPH’s ability to join the expertise of the community with a wide range of health professional, researchers and scientists to better tackle the prevalent issues that prevent us from living well and living longer.

Our community

Ngāti Porou is a kingdom unto itself. We refer to ourselves as Te Wiwi Nāti. Coined by Sir Āpirana Ngata, the name compares the people to wiwi – close, compact-growing rushes. The isolation and remote nature of each of our communities means that everyone knows each other, most of us are related, and this provides strength when it comes to caring for one another.

Nestled in river valleys and along the coast where exquisitely carved marae dot the landscape, and te reo and tikanga (our language and customs) are alive and well, with more than 50% of the population speaking both Māori and English. 

Our Pakeke (elders) are held in high esteem, and play a key role when it comes to leadership and decision making. They are the storehouses of tribal knowledge, genealogy and traditions; the guardians of tikanga (Māori customs); and nurturers of future generations (children).

Our people

Ngāti Porou Oranga delivers hauora services by the people, for the people. At every layer, we prioritise employing Ngāti Porou whenever possible. “I am Nāti, so I care about our wellness and future existence from Monday to Sunday, not 9-5 Monday to Friday. This is extremely personal.” 

Being independent allows us to be bold, dynamic and innovative. We can push the boundaries and deliver health in a holistic manner, consistent with the vision and values of our people.

TEEPA WAWATAI
NPH Board Chairperson
HUTI PUKETAPU-WATSON
NPH Board Deputy Chairperson
matt pavarno
NPH Board Member
Dr. Emily
nichols
NPH Board Member
Rhonda
tibble
NPH Board Member
Rose Kahaki
CEO











Frances
king
Mental Health & Addictions / Research Manager
cara Lee Pewhairangi-Lawton
Senior Business Manager
COMING 
SOON
Primary Care/PHO Manager

Our first

01

We are the only Māori owned and operated hospital in the world.

02

The first health provider in New Zealand to develop its own research policy and procedures. These guidelines were then used as examples nationally.

03

Featured internationally as a leading example of meaningful community participation, power and decision-making in health systems.

04

Part of the initial development of wahakura, the (now national) safe-sleep initiative which uses traditional Māori knowledge and weaving to address the high rates of SUDI (sudden unexplained infant deaths occurring while sleeping).

05

We have an all-female Ngāti Porou management team.

06

Founding members of Health Care Aotearoa: Supporting Māori and community owned and led health services in New Zealand.

07

Joint winner of the 2004 Te Matarau Hauora’s Supreme Award for Excellence by a Māori Health Provider.

08

Supreme winner in the Whānau Ora Awards, 2006.

Our location

Ngāti Porou is paradise, a raw, precious and isolated part of New Zealand where Māori traditions and pure rural living have been preserved. A bountiful environment of beauty and spiritual richness. Geothermal springs bubble up from the centre of the universe, crayfish, kina & paua a plenty, secret beaches with unridden waves all under the authority of Mt Hikurangi. This coast is the first place in the world touched by the sun’s rays and shined upon by the Māori New Year stars (Matariki).

Our iwi

Ngāti Porou Hauora is a subsidiary of Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou (TRONPnui). TRONPnui is the mandated Iwi organisation which represents the collective interests of nga whanau me nga hapu o Ngāti Porou.“Our prosperity as Ngāti Porou is not only monetary, but is also a reflection of the holistic well-being of our people. We work on behalf of Iwi members, and the many generations to come, to achieve our collective vision of political, social, cultural, environmental and economic self-determination.” “Te Whakapumau i te Mana Motuhake o Ngāti Poroumo nga Uri Whakatipu.” 

organisational Documents

01.02.2018

Te Pae Kahurangi. NPH Progress Report 2018

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01.03.2018

Strategic Response and Action Plan. Optimising the performance of Ngāti Porou Hauora.

Download

2013 - 2014

Report against Tai Ora.

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01.06.2017

Ngāti Porou Hauora Case for Support 2017.

Download

30.11.2022

Ngāti Porou Hauora Health Dashboard.

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01.05.2015

The wider economic benefits of providing health services.

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01.11.2015

BERL presentation. Making sense of the numbers.

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10.02.2018

2018 NPH presentation to minister of health.

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