Atawhai is a distinctive primary care network that connects people to people, knowledge, and tools, translates knowledge across settings, and advocates for change in policy and practice. Since the beginning of this research, the Atawhai Network has grown to include approximately 200 health and social professionals, organisations, academics and whānau. We have identified over 1000 relationships amongst the members of our network.
AUT-led research is making it easier for healthcare workers to respond to family violence, by connecting. Read the article
In May, Dr Claire Gear presented Atawhai at the Australian Centre for Research Excellence Safer Families conference in Melbourne. We shared Atawhai resources with policy makers, politicians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples, researchers, and people with lived experience. The conference gave us the opportunity to build relationships with Dr Claudia Garcia-Moreno, who leads the World Health Organisations work on violence against women, and a leading Australian GP family violence educationalists Dr Libby Hindmarsh and Chair of the RACGP Special Interest Group Abuse and Violence in Families, Dr Wei-May Su.
National Family Violence Conference – Wellington 23-24 March: Atawhai presented a poster on the kaupapa of Atawhaitia at the conference where team members talked with delegates and handed out resources. Dr Claire Gear presented: “Integrated family violence service delivery: A pipe dream?”
The 4th National Advisory Group Hui was held on 22nd November 2022 in Tauranga Moana. Atawhai recognises we cannot wait for the system to change; we need to create change now. We can create opportunities for better recognition of family violence as a key determinant of ill-health within the health system. Atawhai is a prototype of a highly functioning locality within the new health system and strongly aligns with Te Aorerekura.
In December 20222 the Western Bay of Plenty PHO newsletter Te Rerenga featured Atawhai, highlighting the work undertaken at Atawhai Workshop Eight in November 2022.
On the 21st of November Atawhai was welcomed onto Whareroa Marae by tangata whenua from Ngāi Tukairangi and Ngāti Kuku hapū, building on our relationship begun in early 2021. Whaea Ngareta Timutimu guided us in tikanga to introduce ourselves and the Atawhai kaupapa. We also welcomed new network members to Atawhai, incorporating wider community and practice perspectives into discussion
Dr Bryan Betty spoke to the Breakfast team and noted a “project called Atawhai which is a three year Health Research Council initiative run by AUT which looks at these issues, Betty said. The project also looks at any policies necessary to ensure family violence is being dealt with effectively. Betty said the responsibility is on the GP to initiate a discussion with the patient if they suspect they’re a victim of domestic violence and to ensure there’s a safe environment to do so.Research paper Research paper supporting this work is: Hegarty, K., Andrews, S., & Tarzia, L. (2022). Transforming health settings to address gender‐based violence in Australia. The Medical Journal of Australia, 217(3).
Members of Atawhai attended the Conference for General Practice in Christchurch, sharing the work of Atawhai at an Exhibition Stand, inviting people to join the network, and hosted an 80 minute workshop. Delegates were invited to share their experiences, challenges and learning when engaging with families/whānau impacted by family violence.
