Te Whatu Ora sets up at WITT campus

Around 60 kaimahi from Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand have established a new centre at the WITT campus.

Their presence on campus paves the way for reciprocal learning opportunities, leaders of both organisations say.

The team, including kaimahi from the National Public Health Service, Hauora Māori Services and Commissioning, began moving into their new premises in D Block in early February and were formally welcomed onto campus with a pōwhiri.

“Our National Public Health Service (NPHS) is responsible for preventing illness and disease, protecting population health, and promoting wellbeing and Hauora,” says Ngamata Skipper, Manager Community and Whānau Wellbeing at Te Whatu Ora.

“Our commissioning teams partner with communities and whānau to design systems of care, agreed health and wellbeing plans, execute investment decisions, and monitor health outcomes.”

The Hauora Māori Service leads and influences improved outcomes for whānau Māori through supporting key partner services, data and creating tools to support culturally aligned practices. In April, Public Health Nurses will also be joining the team in D block.

The Te Whatu Ora team moved from Baker Tilly House in the CBD where they were based during Covid to help support the vaccination response but were still split over a couple of buildings. “We wanted to move to a new, larger space that brought our kaimahi under one roof,” says Ngamata.

“The benefits of being at WITT include opportunities for students to learn more about public health, whether it’s nursing, administration, health protection and promotion. Our kaimahi can supporting students with their accreditation and we’re also giving back to a learning institute which supports our wider community aspirations.”

Nicola Conley, Operations Lead Executive at WITT, says that opening up campus to outside agencies brings numerous advantages. “We’re all about building connections across our community where there are obvious learning and professional affinities. Te Whatu Ora’s presence will be a great way for our students and staff in nursing and healthcare in particular to engage with our regional health sector workforce. It’s a win-win!”

“We’re really excited to be working from the WITT campus this year. It’s a space of learning, development and connection, surrounded by beautiful taiao [natural world]. We’re looking forward to seeing how we can work together to support one another thrive in 2026 and beyond,” adds Ngamata.

Caption: Te Whatu Ora kaimahi outside WITT's Te Piere o Te Rangi whare after the pōwhiri to welcome them onto the campus where they will now be based.