Health Advocacy- Counting the Costs

Abstract

Access to, and delivery of, safe and culturally appropriate health services is increasingly important in New Zealand. This paper will focus on counting the costs of health advocacy through the experience of a small non government charitable organisation, the Health Advocates Trust, (HAT) which aimed to provide advocacy services for a wide range of different population groups, each with distinct but also similar health needs in the Auckland and Northland regions of New Zealand. The costs of advocating for a fair share of funding for the provision of health advocacy services for approximately a third of New Zealand’s population and the legal journey and involved is discussed as well as the lessons those involved have learnt along the way. A focus is made on the importance of health advocacy to address the health needs of Maori, especially those in mental health services, specialist forensic services and those who are need of mental health care in prison.