Whānau Tahi is a tool that allows the voice of the patient to be heard more in their care. It provides a platform to store and access their Shared Care Plan and Advanced Care Plan.

It also provides a summary health record where important health information from their GP Practice is securely stored and available day and night for when needed for medical care – anywhere there is an internet connection.

Access to this information means that they can receive safer and more timely treatment: • in an emergency, • when they see their doctor, • an after-hours clinic or • when visiting other health professionals.

What is Whānau Tahi Shared Care? When someone is unwell, they would want the medical team looking after them to give the best advice and treatment as quickly as possible. They would want their team to know what is important to them and if they have specific needs that need to be taken into consideration with their care. Patients should not need to have to tell their ‘story’ to each health provider they visit.

Whānau Tahi Shared Care is a tool to enable whānau to record what is important to them, what their goals and their aspirations are and for this information to be available to all members of their Care Team. They could also store information such as important personal, cultural or religious considerations. At present, each place such as the general practice team, the district nurse or a hospital clinic often have separate records which is not easily shared. They mostly share information by letter, fax or phone. Even sharing information electronically between different systems can be difficult. This can result in delays or mistakes when important information, results or medical history is missing. It also makes it harder to coordinate care and to plan ahead. Again, with Whānau Tahi, key health and other information that is important to the patient is shared on a secure system so that this essential information is available when it is needed most, day or night. Whānau Tahi helps to put the patient at the centre of the care being provided.

What is a Whānau Tahi Shared Care Plan? In Northland, for someone with complex health care needs (they may have been in hospital or attended outpatient clinics or seen a number of healthcare providers) they may be offered or wish to ask for a Shared Care Plan. If they are eligible for Kia Ora Vision through their GP, or Manaaki Mānawa through an Iwi provider, these providers can assist the whānau to create a Shared Care Plan. As Whānau Tahi is being rolled out across Northland, Care Plans are being created by more and more health and social services such as Child Health, Mental Health and Rest Homes. Whānau also have the option to create their own Shared Care Plan or Advanced Care Plan (end of life plan) if they have access to the Whānau Tahi portal.

A Shared Care plan allows the patient to record and share information they want to be known by those involved in their care such as what is important to them, what their goals are and things they will do to improve their health and wellbeing.

Some of the core features of Whānau Tahi enables:

• Whānau to say what’s important to them and what their goals and priorities are;

• For their Care Plan or Advanced Care Plan to be readily available when they access health and social services;

• To have their health information readily available to health workers in emergencies;

• To receive better communication about their health and better coordination of care.

Please see contact and support information here