The Treaty of Waitangi: A Healthcare Perspective

This presentation provides an analysis of the Treaty of Waitangi from a healthcare perspective. It covers the history and background of the Treaty, its importance, and the responsibilities of nurses towards the Maori community. It also discusses the principles of Partnership, Participation, and Protection and how they can be applied in healthcare settings to provide culturally safe care.

THE TREATY OF WAITANGI
A brief analysis in healthcare
perspective

INTRODUCTION
 Treaty is an agreement which was signed by the representatives of the Queen of
England and the leaders of most Maori Tribes.
 Treaty provides equal opportunity to all the people of Maori community.
 Cultural diversity is one of the biggest challenges in healthcare (Sujan, Habli, Kelly,
Pozzi & Johnson, 2016).
 Nurses in different healthcare organizations of New Zealand should also follow Treaty
to maintain the cultural safety.

HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
 The history of Treaty can be found more than1000 years back.
 It was occurred in the year 1840 (O’Malley & Kidman, 2018).
 The agreement was intended to protect all the rights of Maori community.
 When New Zealand celebrates the day of signing as national holiday, the settlement
of Waitangi is still the focus of the event (Bryers-Brown & Trundle, 2017).

IMPORTANCE
 The Treaty governs the relationship between the indigenous and the non-indigenous
people.
 It ensures the rights of Maori and Pakeha are protected.
 Treaty accepts that the Maori have the right to organize themselves and to protect
their way of life too.
 It also establishes the principle of equality and ensures all the people of New
Zealand are equal under law (Anaya, 2015).

VERSION OF TREATY
 Treaty can be found in two versions, English and Maori.
 The first article in English version gives right to the queen to rule over New Zealand
(Came, Cornes & McCreanor, 2018).
 The first article in Maori version of Treaty gives the right to the crown to
“Kawanatanga” (Came, Cornes & McCreanor, 2018).
 The second article in Maori version states that Maori people should have control
over their land (Came, Cornes & McCreanor, 2018).
 The second article in English version states that Maoris can sell their land only to the
queen (Came, Cornes & McCreanor, 2018).

RESPONSIBILITIES OF NURSES IN RELATION
TO TREATY OF WAITANGI
 It is quite natural that nurses face cultural diversity while providing care to variety of
people (Armmer, 2017).
 According to Treaty principle, Maori community has equal right in participating while
making decision in healthcare and nurse plays an important role in protecting their
health and right with equity according to the principles of Treaty (Foxall, Forrest &
Meyer, 2017).
 As per the norms of HPCA Act 2003, Nursing council of New Zealand should train
nurses with skills to monitor the principles of providing care (Stark & Fickel, 2015).

ORIGINS OF KAWA WHAKARURUHAU (CULTURAL SAFETY)
 The term cultural safety has been originated from New Zealand in response to the
poor health status of Maori people (Brown, Middleton, Fereday & Pincombe, 2016).
 Treaty of Waitangi is the primary mechanism to establish the unique rights of Maoris
across the New Zealand (Eriksson & Eriksson, 2017).
 All the nurses should maintain the cultural safety, keeping in mind about the
principles of Treaty, while providing care to Maori community to gain better health
outcome (Truong, Paradies & Priest, 2014)
 Recognizing the values as well as practices of the people from Maori community,
according to their gender, age, race, cultural and religious beliefs, nurses should
omit the disparities present in the healthcare service which will help to build a strong
therapeutic relationship.

3P PRINCIPLES OF TREATY
 Three different principles of Treaty are there which are termed as 3P of Treaty and
they describes the equal rights of Maori community (Anaya, 2015).
 The first principle of Treaty is Partnership.
 The second principle of Treaty is said to be Participation.
 The last and the third principle of Treaty is Protection.
 All the principles are extremely important and these are followed by the healthcare
workers and nurses (Moon, 2017).

THE FIRST PRINCIPLE- PARTNERSHIP
 It is the first principle of Treaty and it focuses on the point partnership.
 It is focused to get the better outcome of Maori health gain as well as appropriate
health and disability services (Reid et al., 2017).
 It is possible if iwi, whanau, hapu and Maori community works together with equal
efficiency and dedication (Came, Cornes & McCreanor, 2018).

THE SECOND PRINCIPLE- PARTICIPATION
 The second principle of the Treaty is participation and it is extremely important.
 Planning, developing and decision-making all these three sections are highly
essential in healthcare program.
 Participation of all the communities makes the program more effective.
 This principle is focused to involve Maori communities in all the levels of the sector
(Stark & Fickel, 2015).

THE THIRD PRINCIPLE-
PROTECTION
 The third principle of Treaty focuses on the protection of people.
 It ensures the working practice of government which helps in determining the
equality in the protection among Maori communities with respect to non-Maori
people.
 It safeguards the cultural concepts, values, principles as well.
 The principle also determines that the health of Maori people will be at least at the
same level of non-Maori people (Bryers-Brown & Trundle, 2017).

THE 3 PRINCIPLES FOR NURSES
 Partnership- True acceptance of diversity and the concept of one nation in New
Zealand is the main concept of Treaty. In order to fulfill the healthcare needs, nurses
should build a good relationship with patient, family an fellow colleagues.
 Participation- According to Treaty principle, Maori community has equal right in
participating while making decision in healthcare and nurses should play an important
role in protecting their health and right with equity (Foxall, Forrest & Meyer, 2017).
 Protection- Recognizing the appropriate kawa and tikanga, nurses should provide care
as per the cultural beliefs of patients.

IMPLEMENTATION OF TREATY OF WAITANGI AS A NURSE
 Being a nurse, I should respect Maori colleagues equally.
 It will be my duty to implement the culturally safe practice in the clinical settings
and I should be accountable for it.
 I will follow principles of Treaty to maintain the rights and cultural beliefs of the
patients.
 I will maintain the comfort level of the patient as well.

AS A NURSE…
 Maoris may prefer to eat their traditional food and medicines of their belief but I will
never make them feel offended.
 I will respect their language and while communicating I will use Maori words like
morena, kia-ora etc. (Webster & Cheyne, 2017).
 Even, I will try to provide mental support to their families while providing care
(Truong, Paradies & Priest, 2014).

CULTURALLY SAFE HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY
IN THE RELEVANCY OF TREATY OF WAITANGI
 Cultural safety is one of the important element in healthcare settings and it works in
addressing inequities in the healthcare system (Browne, Varcoe, Ford-Gilboe &
Wathen, 2015). Treaty is aimed to promote health and well being of Maori
community.
 In New Zealand, cultural legislated as one of the most important basic requirements
in the educational system of nursing and medical profession (Browne, Varcoe, Ford-
Gilboe & Wathen, 2015).
 Health promotion is focused to detect the disparities of healthcare services and
improve the health status of people, irrespective of their race, ethnicity as well as
cultural beliefs. If principles of Treaty is followed while providing care then the health
outcomes of Maori community will be improved.

CONCLUSION
 The principles of Treaty are cross-cultural, this presentation highlights the history
and background information as well as the version of treaty and it also states the
responsibilities of nurses towards the people from different cultural beliefs according
to the principle of Treaty of Waitangi.
 Stating the origin of cultural safety, this presentation also reflects what will be the
role of nurse towards the Maori community, while providing care.
 It always reminds that the application of ethical principles should value the culture
and belief of all the communities.
 The principles of Treaty provides a substantial framework to the healthcare
professionals of New Zealand and role of government is also significant.
 A multilevel system approach can be helpful in improving the health outcome of the

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