Compass Health aims to ensure there are real opportunities for primary health care to make a difference in lower North Island communities. A management services organisation, Compass Health was developed following a push by Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) in the lower North Island to gain improved management services expertise and capacity.

Compass Health is a non-profit limited liability company, registered with charitable status. The communities across the Manawatu, Horowhenua, Tararua, and Kapiti regions have had more primary health care services become available since Compass Health’s establishment in April 2006.

These primary health care services include health promotion, exercise and nutrition staff, mobile nursing, podiatry, sexual health services, chronic disease management, and retinal screening. Compass Health’s development evolved from the collaborative work of local PHOs, the MidCentral DHB and the Wellington and Manawatu Independent Practice Associations (WIPA and MIPA). In the latter part of 2005, various management services delivery options were explored by a joint PHO, IPA, DHB steering group and a decision was taken to build on the local expertise available. There are four PHOs in the MidCentral DHB region serving quite diverse communities. They are the Manawatu, Horowhenua, Otaki and Tararua PHOs.

In the Capital Coast and Wairarapa DHB areas, the four PHOs currently supported by WIPA are Capital, Kapiti, Wairarapa and Tumai mo te Iwi. The eight PHOs serve a population of about 400,000 people. A strong community focus and robust management systems were needed to support all of the primary health care developments in the lower North Island region. Bringing all of the available resources and expertise together in the management functions, while maintaining absolute community focus through the PHO Boards – made of local community, Maori and provider representatives – was seen as the best way to achieve this.