For Māori in New Zealand, COVID-19 is remarkable in two particular ways. First, we bet the odds for the first time in contemporary history. Forecasts predicted that Māori would have double the infection and mortality rates of non-Māori. However, as at June 2020, Māori have a disproportionately lower infection rate than non-Māori. This is perhaps the only example in our contemporary history of the Māori community having better social outcomes than non-Māori. Second is that attribution is due, perhaps not exclusively, but materially to a self-determination social movement within our Indigenous communities that the pandemic response unveiled and accelerated. This article comments on this self-determination social movement, with a particular focus on how that movement has manifested within the South Island of New Zealand. We specifically draw on the work of Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, the South Island Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency to illustrate our analysis.

A significant number of patients received specialist palliative care across multiple care settings. Late referral is associated with a single domain of care. General practitioner involvement supports patient care and death at home. Place of care and ease of transfer between care settings may be better indicators of the quality of care we provide.

Background: The use of complementary therapy has become increasingly integrated into specialist palliative care units (SPCUs). Objective: To evaluate patients' interest in and experience of complementary therapies during their inpatient stay in a SPCU. Method: All 179 patients admitted to the SPCU over a 3-month period were assessed on admission. Those deemed suitable to participate by the researcher/clinical nurse specialist were invited to participate in this research. A standardised paper questionnaire was completed by the participating patients. Results: 71 patients (40%) completed the study. Those excluded had cognitive impairment, fatigue, communication difficulties or were imminently dying. Some declined to participate. A variety of age groups and diagnoses were represented. Only 27% of participants had a previous experience of using complementary therapies in the past 12 months. The majority (52%) were ‘very interested’ in receiving complementary therapy, while 13% reported having ‘no interest’. Massage and reflexology were identified as the most popular forms of complementary therapy. The primary anticipated benefits associated with complementary therapy were relaxation and improvement in general wellbeing. Conclusion: This research has indicated a high level of interest in complementary therapies in the study population, across a wide age range regardless of diagnosis or level of disease.