Who are we? 

The Kaipara Community Health Trust (KCHT) is an Incorporated Society formed in 1996 when local surgical services were greatly reduced and Dargaville Hospital was under threat of closure by Northland District Health Board.  As a result Kaipara residents joined together and formed the KCHT.  The Trust’s initial focus; back to basics of ‘bricks and mortar’ paid off, and now boast an effective joint venture with Northland Health providing quality services to the Kaipara residents.  

The Trust’s growing role as a voice for the community regarding local health services and needs is extending into a proactive rather than reactive role.  Providing quality social housing, a service that is not currently available to the people of Kaipara, is a natural progression complimenting the Trust’s 46% ownership of the Dargaville Hospital.  Social housing fits with the Trust’s holistic goals of improving health, identifying unmet needs and taking steps to meet them. 

The Trust is administered by twelve trustees whose collective responsibility is to ensure sustainable access to primary and secondary health care, act as a monitoring agency to ensure health delivery, together with providing a community view through advocacy. 

Vision Statement

The Kaipara Community Health Trust will monitor existing service levels, advocate to retain and enhance services and access to services, provide quality housing for elderly on low incomes and people with physical disabilities and seek to ensure the best possible health services and facilities are available to the people of the Kaipara. 

Governance
Introduction to the Kaipara Community Health Trust 

What does the KCHT do?

The Trust seeks to monitor existing service levels, advocate to retain and enhance services and access to services, provide quality housing for elderly on low incomes and people with physical disabilities and ensure the best possible health services and facilities are available to the people of the Kaipara

Who is on the KCHT?

Trust members are made up of volunteers who are appointed to make up the following permanent representation: 

Ward representatives – 4
Runanga Ngati Whatua – 2
Clinical workers and/or professional health workers – 2
Aoroa Branch of Rural Women New Zealand – 1
Business community – 1
Barrister and Solicitor – 1
Chartered Accountant – 1 

Trustees are appointed as individuals for their experience, expertise and links with the local community.  Trustees are not representatives for any particular cause or organisation.  The first duty of a Trustee is to work to achieve the interests of the Trust.  The Trust benefits from the different perspectives which are expressed by members as a result of their collective personal and professional understanding. 

What is expected of a Trustee?

An interest in the health and welfare of the residents of the community is the first requirement.  Time and energy run a close second.  Before you agree to be a Trustee you need to be fully aware of the demands and responsibilities of the role.  Job satisfaction is greatest when all members are able to participate fully and work is shared.   

The Trust currently meets once a month and meetings generally last two/three hours.  There will also be occasional sub-committee meetings, time required for researching issues and working on reports, preparation time spent reading briefing material before meeting and time for liaison and public consultation. 

Do Trustees get paid?

Trust members are currently appointed on a volunteer basis and as such are not paid for their services.  Travel expenses incurred as a result of attending meetings are payable at a rate of $0.62 per kilometre. 

Term of Appointment

The term of office of the permanent Trustee is three years from 01 December in the year they are appointed.  No Trustee is permitted to hold office either for more than 3 successive terms of 3 years each or for a total of 9 years if the terms are not served consecutively. 

The History of the Trust

The Kaipara Community Heath Trust (KCHT) (previously the Kaipara Community Health Services Committee) is an Incorporated Society formed in 1996,  when local surgical services were greatly reduced and Dargaville Hospital was under threat of closure by Northland District Health Board. As a result Kaipara residents joined together and formed the KCHT.  The Trust’s initial focus, back to basics of ‘bricks and mortar’ paid off, and now boast an effective joint venture with Northland Health providing quality services to the Kaipara residents.  

The Trust’s growing role as a voice for the community regarding local health services and needs is extending into a proactive rather than reactive role.  Providing quality social housing, a service that is not currently available to the people of Kaipara, is a natural progression complimenting the Trust’s 46% ownership of the Dargaville Hospital.  Social housing fits with the Trust’s holistic goals of improving health, identifying unmet needs and taking steps to meet them. 

The Trust is administered by twelve trustees whose collective responsibility is to ensure sustainable access to primary and secondary health care, act as a monitoring agency to ensure health delivery, together with providing a community view through advocacy. 

The Trustees on behalf of the Kaipara Community have responsibility for the ongoing financial viability of the Trust through its Joint Venture ownership of health facilities, social housing programme and its investment portfolio. 

Resulting from the complexity of the Trust’s activities, Trustees appointments are determined by the contribution they can make and are appointed based on their financial, legal, medical, commercial and community backgrounds together with their ability to represent the multicultural diversity of the Kaipara Community. 

Trustees Code

The Trust understands the cultural diversity, geographic spread and age demography in the Kaipara community and will at all time respect this diversity and the cultural sensitivities and needs within our community.  It will at all time act in accord with the provisions as outlined in the Treaty of Waitangi and or any subsequent memorandums of understanding. 

At all times the trustees and employees of the Trust will act openly and honestly to achieve good health advocacy and outcomes for its community.

The Trust further acknowledges that at times our funders, providers and community will have differing aspirations and it will work fairly, honestly in a spirit of co-operation to achieve the best outcomes for everyone.

The Trust will adopt a best practice approach in everything that it does and will uphold the aims and objectives as outlined in its Trust Deed to achieve “best outcomes” in health care for all Kaipara residents. 

Staff
Chief Executive
Debbie Evans -

Shuttle Driver
Reubin Whitehira -