Whānau Māori experiences of major trauma

The aim of this project is to increase our understanding of how, in their own words, Māori major trauma patients and their whānau experience trauma rehabilitation. A second aim is to use findings to identify pragmatic initiatives and approaches that can be implemented to support Māori who are injured to achieve the best possible experiences and outcomes.

All publications relating to this project are as follows available for download. They include: 

• the full report
• executive summary
• two resources for clinicians:
  • Whakawhanaungatanga with whānau Māori who experience trauma events
  • How to support whānau Māori who experience major trauma

Recommendations and actions

1. Whakawhanaungatanga must be a priority for all health and social service providers

• Action: All trauma clinicians practise whakawhanaungatanga with Māori patients and whānau.

2. All trauma clinicians must adopt and be accountable for a culturally effective approach

• Action: All large trauma centres make kaiāwhina (assistants) available to be an integral part of trauma teams.
• Action: Where available, and patients agree to it, routinely refer Māori trauma patients to the hospital’s Māori support service.
• Action: All hospital trauma clinicians receive training in cultural competency and are encouraged to learn te reo Māori.

3. Health and social service providers must assess, monitor and support the psychological and emotional wellbeing of the patient and whānau

• Action: Providers routinely screen all Māori major trauma patients for clinical signs of pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and concussion, with whānau engagement and referral as appropriate.
• Action: All health and social service providers, where feasible, assess the wellbeing of the patient and whānau using a hauora Māori (Māori health) model.

4. Agencies must involve and provide supports for whānau Māori

• Action: All agencies working with major trauma patients and whānau, including regional trauma networks, use a consumer/whānau panel to inform service improvement.
• Action: The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) and the National Trauma Network develop patient and whānau information resources specifically for Māori and actively distribute them across trauma teams and contracted provider services.

5. Agencies must invest in kaupapa Māori service providers and support their use

• Action: ACC and trauma services facilitate options for routinely referring Māori patients to kaupapa Māori (Māori-themed) or rongoā māori (natural medicine) services.
• Action: ACC strengthens mechanisms to liaise with other agencies on complex social cases through identifying need early.
• Action: All health and social service agencies invest in training staff, including ACC case managers and hospital Māori support service staff, to effectively communicate with rangatahi (youth).

6. Agencies must measure what matters to Māori

• Action: The Health Quality & Safety Commission continues to rework in-hospital patient experience survey tools so they include cultural competence of providers.
• Action: The National Trauma Network routinely measures patient-reported outcomes for Māori.