Māori Practitioners Advisory Committee
Te Ama Tōtika
The Māori Practitioners Advisory Committee ǀ Te Ama Tōtika is made up of eight people (we currently have two vacancies). They represent all the different scopes of practice (as well as lay people) from consumers of health care services to assist with reviewing key standards and codes of conduct. They also provide advice to the Council.
Tokowaru nga tangata o Te Ama Tōtika. Ko rātou ngā māngai o nga momo hōkaitanga katoa (me nga tangata reimana hoki) mai i nga kirtaki o nga ratonga hauora, hei awhina i te arotake i ngā paerewa matua me nga tikanga whakahaere. He kaitohutohu hoki ratou ki te Kaunihera.
The Council is responsible under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 for protecting the public of Aotearoa | New Zealand by providing ways to ensure that practitioners are fit and competent to practise. There are specific requirements under section 118i to set standards of clinical competence and cultural competence (including competencies that will allow effective and respectful interaction with Māori).
Kei te Kaunihera te mana ki tā te Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 ki te ārai i te iwi whānui o Aotearoa ma te whakarato huarahi kia pai, kia matatau hoki nga kaimahi hauora ki te mahi. He whakaritenga motuhake ki tā te tekiona 118i ki te whakatakoto paerewa o te mātauranga haumanu me te mohiotanga ahurea (tae atu ki nga pukenga e tika ai te whakaute whaitake ki te Māori).
Chelsey Loader - Chair and Medical Laboratory Scientist
Kō Aoraki toku mauka, kō Waitaki toku awa, kō takitimu te waka, kō Te Mamaru/Anglem toku tipuna, kō Kati Mamoe raua kō Ngai Tahu oku iwi, kō Kati huirapa toku hapu, kō Arowhenua toku marae, nō Otautahi ahau, kō Chelsey toku ingoa.
Chelsey Loader is a practising medical laboratory scientist and has been working in transfusion science for the last eight years. She currently works for the New Zealand Blood Service in the Christchurch Hospital Blood Bank.
Chelsey also serves on Kakapa Manawa for NZBS where she helps with tikanga, providing feedback for research proposals and assessing potential impacts on Māori.
Chelsey is of Māori, Scottish and Irish descent and connects to Kāti Mamoe and Kāi Tahu iwi. She grew up in a multicultural household with Samoan and Māori parents and has a passion for improving equity within the healthcare system.
Chelsey is honoured to have been appointed Chair of the Committee in September 2023 and looks forward to representing Māori.
Aysha Willis - Medical Laboratory Scientist
Aysha has a background working in the Department of Corrections as a correctional officer. Since then, she has changed careers - attended the University of Otago where she achieved a Bachelor of Physiology, a diploma for graduates in Anatomy, and a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science.
Since graduating Aysha has worked in Cytology and recently achieved her VRPCC. Aysha was part of the COVID-19 response after only being in the job for three months. In July 2023 Aysha was appointed to Te Ama Tōtika.
Aysha says she has seen a disproportionate number of Māori in corrections facilities and worse outcomes in health. She is determined to help make changes that will benefit Māori, and all New Zealand citizens.
Since graduating Aysha has worked in Cytology and recently achieved her VRPCC. Aysha was part of the COVID-19 response after only being in the job for three months.
Keri Parata - Lay person
In July 2023 Keri was appointed to Te Ama Tōtika.
Keri’s connections are Te Atiawa on her father’s side, with direct links to Wi Parata te Kakakura (great-great grandfather) - he was a member of parliament in the 1870’s, prominent in litigation in Māori land cases – the most notable being against the bishop of Wellington where Judge Prendegast famously declared that the Treaty of Waitangi was “a simple nullity” that “had been signed between a civilised nation and a group of savages”.
Keri’s father’s mother’s side is Ngai Tahu. Her great-great grandfather, Huriwhenua Taiaroa, was also a member of parliament. Her grandmother’s father was a prominent rugby player for New Zealand. Keri’s proud of her heritage, although admits there is a lot more she could learn.
Keri was born in Lower Hutt. She followed in her father’s footsteps, started her working career in the New Zealand Police. Keri has also worked in Youth Justice, with victims of crime, in security intelligence, and laterly in protective security.
Keri is the proud mother of two children and says her greatest achievement now is her grandson, where she can have the fun of a parent with none of the responsibility.
Keri says she feels privileged and honoured to be a part of Te Ama Tōtika - she hopes that her lay-person perspective and life experience adds value.
Shannon Paikea - Anaesthetic Technician
Shannon says she was very fortunate to be appointed as part of Te Ama Tōtika in July 2023. She is an anaesthetic technician and started her training at Auckland City Hospital in 2019, completing her training in 2023.
Before becoming an anaesthetic technician, Shannon worked in the social sector for many years. She is married with three children, living in Kaiwaka and currently working in the Northland region.
Dayna Hoey-Samuel - Pre-Analytical Medical Laboratory Technician
Kō Ngaati Wai, Ngaati Hine, Ngaati Hauaa, Aitanga-a-Mahaki nga iwi. Kō Ngaati Rehua te hapu. Kō Motairehe te Marae. Kō Dayna Hoey-Samuel ahau.
Dayna was appointed as a member of Te Ama Tōtika in July 2023. She is a pre-analytical medical laboratory technician in the Waikato.
Dayna has recently completed a Master of Applied Indigenous Knowledge through Te Wananga o Aotearoa. Since the beginning of 2023, as part of her Masters, Dayna has been working on designing a bicultural resource for Phlebotomy kaimahi that will be launched at the end-of-year exhibition in November 2025.
Dayna was born in Tāmaki-Makaurau - being raised in the area between Great Barrier Island and Waharoa. She currently resides in Kirikiriroa with her husband and daughter.
Dayna has worked in both the public and private sectors as a psychiatric assistant. She has also spent time working remotely in Alice Springs, Australia in a special needs school as a special education support officer.
Denese Gallagher - Medical Laboratory Scientist
Denese is the Quality, Health & Safety Manager for Te Whatu Ora Waikato Laboratory Services. She has worked in laboratories for 27 years – 14 years in hospital laboratories, 13 years in a petrochemical laboratory.
Denese was appointed to Te Ama Tōtika in July 2023.
Denese grew up in Northland, spending much of her time on the marae learning tikanga, playing with her cousins, and embedding her roots firmly in te ao Māori.
Denese links to NgaPuhi, Ngati Hine, Te Aupouri and Ngati Whatua iwis. Her passion is to improve on equitable health outcomes for Māori.