Associate Health Minister Mita Ririnui today launched a free mobile health bus that targets Taranaki people who have difficulty getting to local health services.

The Hauora Taranaki Primary Health Organisation (PHO) bus will be staffed by an experienced registered nurse and a bus driver/project co-ordinator. The team will assess the need of their communities and individuals and help arrange health support services, including dietician and podiatry support.

Mr Ririnui said he was delighted to see that the new service would be operating throughout Taranaki, initially for three days a week.

"In 2001 the Taranaki District Health Board identified that transport difficulties were a major barrier to people accessing health and other services, because many of these services were located in New Plymouth, Stratford or Hawera,'' Mr Ririnui said.

"This new PHO mobile bus is a great step toward addressing the transport problems faced by many people in Taranaki, especially those in rural areas. The mobile health bus will offer lifestyle intervention programmes and other clinical services throughout the Taranaki region to anyone who needs them, regardless of which PHO they belong to.

"It will also work alongside General Practice and Maori health providers to support and enhance health services, which is good news for both Maori and non-Maori alike.''

Hauora Taranaki PHO was established in April 2003 and covers an estimated enrolled population of more than 46,100 people. It has 21 member GP practices and 21 Maori providers, as well as a number of community nursing and interagency contracts.

Hauora Taranaki PHO is one of 79 PHOs covering about 3.8 million New Zealanders.