“Balance is the key” – PMA Conference 2022
Updates / Events, 31 Aug 22
The Pasifika Medical Association Conference 2022 is only days away and with a wide array of health and wellbeing topics being shared by various subject matter experts, places are filling up fast.

Mental health is a key theme and Ms Fane Uasi of the West Crisis Team at Te Whatu Ora Waitemata is looking forward to sharing her insights and hearing from others to add to her basket of knowledge. 

Ms Uasi’s will share about the changes that are happening in the acute demand sector for mental health and the transition to Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand.

“Having one national health identity as opposed to multiple District Health Boards makes health look different here and I would love to talk about those differences and shifts in our identity”. 

Ms Uasi believes health literacy is something that needs to be explored within a Pacific context to genuinely treat our Pacific families with their mental health needs. Primarily, it’s looking at measures beyond the traditional medicated approach and understand that for many Pacific individuals they require a holistic approach to their mental health that includes assessing their families, living situation and their physical status. 

This approach connects with a support network to assist with things such as financial management and stress relief that will require a budget advisor and health coach practitioner as well as aa doctor or physician. 

Ms Uasi believes that our mental health system needs to be flexible and conscious of underlying factors that contribute towards mental health struggles before resorting to medicated solutions from the outset. 

“It’s a clinician’s responsibility to listen to our people to help them manage and change the stressors that contribute to their mental health. For our people, it’s also very important to prioritise mental wellness the same way we prioritise other aspects of wellness such as religion or physicality. Balance is the key.’ 

 

The PMA Conference 2022 is now SOLD OUT but if you would like to know more about the conference and the programme please click on the following link here.

 

#pmafamily #pmaunite

Date: Thursday 1 September 2022