Lay summary
The measures used in the health sector to gauge the state of Maori health and the effectiveness of health services are poorly aligned to Maori understandings of health and iwi and Maori community aspirations. The proposed study is a Ngaitai Iwi controlled and driven project that aims to develop measures that are more able to accurately assess Maori health needs and inform local level Maori health planning and service delivery. The methods used to carry out the research will be a literature review; marae based wananga; interviews with knowledgeable informants; and a review of a Ngaitai iwi health service provider. It is intended that the research will provide tools that will enable a better understanding of the health needs of Maori, the state of Maori health and the extent of inequalities, and the impact of health service delivery in order to inform local health planning and service delivery particularly for iwi and other Maori communities.