Professor Suzanne Pitama (Ngāti Kahungunu)

BA, MA (First Class Hons), PGDipEdPsych, PhD (Otago). NZSPsS
Dean and the Head of Campus, University of Otago, Christchurch, NZ

Suzanne is the Dean and the Head of Campus at the University of Otago, Christchurch.  Suz is a registered psychologist and a member of the New Zealand Psychological Society.  She has been involved in Māori health research  and health professional education for over 20 years. Her work has included the development of an Indigenous Health model of health, which supports Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professionals signpost cultural competency and safety within their practice.  Suzanne has received a number of awards including the Prime Minister’s Supreme Award for tertiary teaching excellence and both the Indigenous Leadership Award and Lifetime award from the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME). Suzanne was awarded the Joan Metge Medal for her research in Indigenous medical education, and the Dame Marie Clay Award for contributions to educational and developmental psychology. 

The Meihana Model –  Does it Apply to Pain Management?

The Meihana Model was developed as a tool to support Māori and non-Māori clinicians decolonise their practice to support achieving health equity for Māori patients/whānau.  It is used widely by multiple health professional disciplines in different clinical and community contexts.  This presentation will provide a brief overview of the Meihana Model and provides space to discuss whether there is a place for the Meihana Model in pain management.