Tēnā koe e te whānau: By Isla Taunoa, TPO Board Director

By Islan Taunoa, new Te Piki Oranga board director

Ko Tutumapo, ko Hikurangi ngā maunga

Ko Te Hoiere, ko Waiapu ngā awa Ko Te Hoiere, ko Horouta ngā waka

Ko Te Hora Pa, ko Hinemauria ngā marae

Ko Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Toarangatira ki Wairau, ko Kāi Tahu ngā iwi

Ko Isla Taunoa tōku ingoa

I was born and bred in Wairau and on my father's side, (Walker whānau) I whakapapa to Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Toarangatira (ki Wairau), Ngāti Koata and Kāi Tahu. On my mother's side, (Keelan whānau, Uawa) I am Ngāti Porou.

I am a proud mother of two grown sons and beautiful 15-year-old twin daughters.

I have a career background in social work, mental health and nursing. In my late 30s I lived in Porirua and studied as a mature student, graduating with a Bachelor of Nursing Māori from Whitireia Polytechnic. I also studied law and political science for awhile.

I am a registered Māori nurse and currently work in clinical nurse lead roles with the Hauora Māori team at Marlborough Primary Health Organisation, in Blenheim.

Before this, I worked for Corrections in both the men’s and women’s prisons, holding the Māori health portfolio and advocating for Māori health initiatives.

At one stage I was the Corrections NZ Māori Nurse Representative for Te Waipounamu in a nationwide rōpū of Māori Corrections nurses.

I was a New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) union representative for three years. And recently I was elected Chair of Te Runanga (Māori Nurses) Te Tauihu o te Waka-a-Māui, for the NZNO.

In addition to this role I am currently on the executive boards for Ngāti Toa Rangatira ki Wairau, and the Cancer Society (Wairau).

I feel privileged and honoured to be representing Ngāti Kuia on the Executive Board of Directors for Te Piki Oranga.

Ngā mihi mahana, Isla Whainoa Taunoa

New forms for a better online experience

We have updated our forms, to make it easier for you to get in touch.

A new service referral (application) form

One new form has replaced separate forms for our health hubs.

• complete the form on a mobile phone, tablet or desktop computer

• or complete it as an online PDF, or by printing the PDF and filling it out by hand

• new sections, such as a list of available services, aim to make your application efficient

All options are in one place here.

A new whānau services feedback form

Te Piki Oranga values your feedback. It’s good to know when we get things right, and we need to know if we can do things better. Our new whānau service feedback form:

• replaces the former ‘client evaluation form’

• can be completed on all types of device

• is still available as a PDF to print or complete online

• includes new sections, to help us consider your feedback

New complaints form

If your feedback is strong and you would like to make a complaint, we have a new, improved process for doing this.

• information about our process to handle complaints is on a new complaints webpage

• you will find online and PDF forms on this page also

10 years of manaaki for Te Tauihu

Te Piki Oranga celebrated its 10th anniversary in July with open days at Whakatū, Wairau, Motueka and Waitohi health hubs.

The events were fun and whānau-friendly, with kai, cake, games, quizzes, raffles and kapa haka alongside the offer of health checks and immunisation.

The open days were an opportunity to both celebrate and learn about Te Piki Oranga, an organisation that has grown to become the leading provider of kaupapa Māori health services in Te Tauihu – Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough.

One of the facts that Tumuaki (General Manager) Anne Hobby shared in media coverage about the anniversary milestone is that, in 2024, approximately 25 per cent of people enrolled for Te Piki Oranga healthcare services across the region were non-Māori.

Anne says that this is a typical enrolment rate. “It is validation that non-Māori appreciate and do well under our model of care, Te Puna Hauora, which weaves te ao Māori values and tikanga into evidence-based, mainstream health and wellness practice.”

Te Piki Oranga was established on 1 July 2014 through the collaboration of, and merger with, six Māori health providers. The first services began from Whakatū Marae and health hubs opened soon after in Motueka and Wairau. Kaimahi also provide mobile clinics and in-home services.

Approximately 4,500 people now use Te Piki Oranga services each year and the workforce has grown from 50 to 100 full-time positions to support increasing demand.

Anne says that over the 10 years, Te Piki Oranga has rapidly expanded and diversified its services as new funding and contracts were offered or won.

Antenatal and early years care, quit-smoking services, cancer screening, counselling, driver’s licence support and healthy homes services are now available alongside healthcare such as immunisation, nursing, health checks and diabetes clinics.

At the Whakatū tari celebration, a 10th anniversary cake was cut by some of the kaimahi who have been with Te Piki Oranga since it was established in 2014.

Front row, left to right: Anne Hobby, Tumuaki; Jane du Feu, Chairperson; Shelley Carter

 Back row, left to right: Deborah Tauwhare; Trudy Gibson; Rana Eggers; Walter Tia; Dianne MacDonald; Gloria Eggling

Kaimahi from the Whakatū Te Hā and Stop Smoking Service teams, from Te Piki Oranga and Te Whatu Ora / Health NZ respectively.

Members of the kapa haka team at the Whakatū tari performed at least 10 waiata, under the cover of a marquee during heavy rain on the day of the open day at the Whakatū tari.

Gaynor Rikihana-Takao, Pūkenga Kaiwhakahaere - Site Manager (Motueka) with a healthcare colleague from Hato Hone St John - Motueka.

Motueka turned on the sunshine for a fun whānau day packed with games, kai and health services. Here, Motueka kaimahi with a 10th anniversary cake.

A Motueka haka haka group performed for kaimahi, whānau and guests at the Motueka tari open day.

Waiata and karakia before kai for kaimahi and guests at the Wairau open day.