Maori health issues explored in an interprofessional learning context

Abstract

In New Zealand there is emphasis on improving access to primary healthcare, particularly for high health need populations such as Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. Critical to the development of the primary healthcare environment is building healthcare teams and better utilising health practitioners. This article reports on an interprofessional educational initiative where medical, nursing and pharmacy undergraduates learnt together in order to understand Maori health issues, how these are addressed by health services and also appreciate the contribution of different health professionals within the healthcare team. The educational initiative is described and interprofessional learning issues are explored across the different curricula structures of medicine, nursing and pharmacy.