Media release from West Fono Health Trust and Peoples Centre Trust

The West Fono Health Trust and The Peoples Centre Trust announce they are pooling resources into a combined organisation to enable populations with high needs to more readily access quality health services.

The West Fono Health Trust and The Peoples Centre Trust announce they are pooling resources into a combined organisation to enable populations with high needs to more readily access quality health services.

Uluomatootua (Ulu) Aiono OMNZ Chair of the Peoples Centre Trust said that the unification with West Fono appealed as it's a comprehensive approach. "The portfolio of high performing primary health, education, health support services and dental services will allow the united organisation to productively work with health authorities, other community organisations, researchers and their programmes to provide better health outcomes".

The Vice Chair of the West Fono Health Trust, John Kotoisuva, said "this will be a major strengthening of the health establishment in Auckland and provides an opportunity, particularly with Pacific health, to extend the advantages West Fono has provided in the west across Auckland. In turn, The Peoples Centre expertise in combining affordable, quality dental care with medical centres will bring critical oral health improvements to the West".

The CEO appointed to the new integrated health care organisation, Tevita Funaki, said he looks forward to building on the heritage of the constituent organisations. "Both have a very proud record of ensuring those most at need in the community have access to quality healthcare services". "This development reflects the inspiration of the founders of the Peoples Centre and West Fono when establishing the organisations and will ensure that their vision continues to grow in a sustainable manner well into the future".

Health operations in Central Auckland, Henderson, Manurewa and the dental service in Otahuhu will continue under current brand names (St Patrick's Square Medical and Dental Centre, West Fono Medical Centre, The Manurewa Peoples Centre Medical and Dental Centre and dental services at Ngati Whatua o Orakei - Otahuhu Health Centre).