Ō Mātou Reo: Our Voices
Putting consumers, whānau and communities at the heart of conversations about our health system in New Zealand.
About Ō Mātou Reo: Our Voices
Ō Mātou Reo: Our Voices is a series of national gatherings, regional hui and online wānanga which honour the voices of consumers, whānau, and communities.
These events are a space to celebrate our stories, strengthen connections, and champion equity in health and wellbeing.
Through these events we aim to:
- Support consumers, whānau and communities to share their perspectives and insights with health and disability service providers.
- Improve understanding of the Code of expectations for health providers' engagement with consumers and whānau (the Code of expectations).
Ō Mātou Reo is about listening deeply, valuing consumer engagement, and ensuring our voices guide the transformation of our health system.
“When we centre our health system on the needs and voices of our communities, we create a safer, higher quality and culturally responsive environment for all”.
Rae Lamb, Board Chair of the Commission
Ō Mātou Reo presentations
If you would like to read one of the presentations below, please email us with the titles of the presentations you would like to read at ourvoices@hqsc.govt.nz
Consumer voice experience
He Oranga Pumau: Tanya Filia – Tanya discussed her experience of Māori and Western health systems following a cancer diagnosis.
Health sector and consumer partnership to navigate challenges
Process of collaboration and resolution: Martin Burke and Kaaren Mathias – this presentation discusses experience of working together to overcome challenges during a research project.
Implementing the Code of expectations
Marae based clinics: Justin Butcher – in this presentation, Justin shares a case study about the creation of marae-based clinics at Mangatoatoa marae to address inequity.
Understanding the Code of expectations
The Code of expectations and the SURE framework: DJ Adams, Carlton Irving – in this presentation, DJ and Carlton explained the Code and the SURE framework and shared case studies showing how the Code of expectations can strengthen consumer engagement.
Ō Mātou Reo events 2025
Regional workshops, West Coast
In February 2025 we held two consumer regional workshops and one health provider workshop in Te Tai o Poutini West Coast.
The aims for the regional consumer workshops included:
- supporting consumers to engage in health service improvement activities, including primary care
- listening and understanding ways consumers can share their lived experiences to help shape the health system
- discussing the ‘Code of expectations for health entities engagement with consumers and whānau’ (the Code) and it’s review.
Ō Mātou Reo: Our Voices, Wellington
In October 2025 we hosted Ō Mātou Reo: Our Voices in Wellington. This event brought together consumers, whānau, communities and health providers from across the country.
The aims of the event were to:
- provide a forum for consumers and whānau to engage and share perspectives with health and disability service providers and professionals
- facilitate dialogue, stimulate ideas and identify opportunities to better involve consumers, whānau and communities in health and disability service delivery
- collectively learn more about and celebrate examples of positive consumer, whānau and community engagement practice
- share positive examples of implementation of the Code.
Read the Ō Mātou Reo: Our Voices 2025 evaluation reports
Regional workshop, Wellington
In December 2025 we held a workshop to bring together members of the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora national, regional and district consumer staff, their Patient safety and quality team and members of the regional consumer councils and representatives from the Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora System monitoring, performance and governance group.
The workshop focused on the:
- Consumer and Whānau Engagement Quality and Safety Marker (QSM)
- Code
- SURE (Supporting, Understanding, Responding and Evaluating) framework.
Past Ō Mātou Reo events
In previous years, we have hosted Ō Mātou Reo: Our Voices national events in Auckland and Christchurch, as well as regional workshops in Hastings, Whāngarei and Kaitaia.
More information
Would you like to know more about Ō Mātou Reo: Our Voices?
- Join the Consumer health forum Aotearoa to hear about future events and opportunities
- Email ourvoices@hqsc.govt.nz
Published: 5 Feb 2026
Modified: 29 Apr 2026
