Lay summary
Cancer is a major cause of avoidable death, illness and inequities for Māori. We propose extending our Māori Whiri cancer care model to include treatment and beyond. In our current HRC study, we co-designed a kaupapa Māori model for the early cancer pathway from referral to first treatment. The model includes navigators, holistic hauora needs assessment, and a clinical team. The proposed study will co-design a model which extends the first part of the pathway through treatment to the completion of care. We will strengthen pathways to integrate Rongoā Māori into Waikato hospital cancer services. Methods include clinical note reviews, interviews and co-design with whānau, community and treatment providers. The entire model will be piloted with Māori patients and their whānau. A toolkit will be developed for sharing, meaning the model will be ready to implement nationally and enable major hauora gain for whānau Māori.