Who Are We?

The Wakatipu Health Trust is an independent, not for profit Queenstown based Charitable Trust established in 2003. The initial purpose of the Trust was to obtain funding from the Central Lakes Trust for the purchase of capital equipment for the Lakes District Hospital, in a way that allowed ownership of this equipment to remain vested in the community, independent of the District Health Board. In its early years, the Trust worked closely with the Southland District Hospital Board who identified and initiated other projects that could be funded through Central Lakes Trust using the same established model.

Through the Trust’s continuing consultation with the broader spectrum of local healthcare providers and the community, our Trustees became aware that there were significant healthcare opportunities and needs in the community that were not being addressed. To further ascertain and qualify the growing number of potential needs, the Trust commissioned its own planning and research survey. As a result, the Trust has developed longer term strategic plans to build up it’s resources, in order to more effectively schedule and implement a number of healthcare initiatives for the future.

Today, the Trust continues it’s positive relationship with the District Health Board, and makes purchases of medical equipment to augment the public system. It continues to own such equipment on behalf of the community. The Trust’s activities have evolved to encompass a wider charter with the implementation of the Primary Health Organisation structure across the country, and a Ministry of Health mandate that these organisations should be locally vested in their communities. Hence, in 2005 the Trust became the sole shareholder of the Wakatipu PHO, on behalf of the community. As such, it has a broader governance role and is the overarching health body responsible for improving public health facilities in the Wakatipu. It remains entirely independent from any DHB.

The objectives of the Trust are:

(i) To raise funds to develop and provide better public health and wellbeing
facilities and services for the people of the Wakatipu
(ii) To acquire equipment for placing in appropriate public health facilities which will enable public health providers in the Wakatipu Basin to deliver enhanced service to the local population and  enable residents and visitors to the Wakatipu Basin to enjoy affordable, accessible and high quality, public healthcare facilities.

(iii) To lobby as appropriate with DHB, Ministry of Health, healthcare providers, local and national government bodies and other relevant parties to make improvments to public healthcare facilities and services for the benefit of all residents to the Wakatipu. 

Currently our focus is on some strategic issues i.e engaging with the community to better understand the community's preferences regarding the radical shakeup of services at Lakes District Hospital proposed by the DHB. This includes communicating with the community to facilitate  understanding of the health system and the current issues facing our community.The Trust also holds the view that our community would be better served by community governance of our hospital, in keeping with many other regional hospitals across New Zealand.  Additionally, the Trust seeks to improve technology at the hospital, acquiring enhanced diagnostic tools. The objective,  wherever possible,  is to facilitate local treatment and diagnosis for patients and their families. 

The Trust has no agenda or vested interests for itself - its charter is simply to work toward achieving the best possible public health services and facilities for our community. It  remains entirely independent from any DHB and has a firm policy of not subsidising the obligations of the DHB. 

(Photos courtesy SDHB)