Chaplaincy at the Bay of Plenty DHB

BOP District Health Board

The Bay of Plenty DHB is the principal provider of hospital and related services, including medical, surgical, women's health, child health, elderly, disability support, mental health, intellectual disability, public health and related support services for 190,000 people in the region (4.8% of NZ’s pop).Over one quarter of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board population are Maori (26%) compared with 14.5% for New Zealand as a whole.

  • 1% of the population are Pacific Island people (PI) compared with 4.8 percent for New Zealand as a whole.
  • The area with the highest percentage of Maori is Kawerau (58.1%) followed by Opotiki (53.7%).
  • The Bay of Plenty District Health Board has a higher proportion of children aged 0-14 years than New Zealand as a whole. This is largely due to the young population in the Eastern Bay of Plenty where nearly 30% of the population are aged less than 15 years.
  • The Bay of Plenty District Health Board also has a higher proportion of older people aged 65 years or more, than New Zealand as a whole. This is largely due to the older population in the Western Bay of Plenty.
  • In the Tauranga District over 17% of the population are aged 65 years or more and in the Western Bay of Plenty District over 13% of the population are aged 65 years or more.

Tauranga Hospital – With 360 beds, is the hub of the BOP DHB's operation, providing a comprehensive range of inpatient, outpatient, day patient and maternity services. It also includes a psychiatric unit and community services. Tauranga Hospital campus was recently redeveloped which has resulted in major changes in both the size of the facility and the delivery of services to the community.

Whakatane Hospital- With 120 beds, provides inpatient services for acute patients, plus outpatient and maternity services. 47% of hospital admissions are Maori. Community health services are also provided at Opotiki, Te Kaha, Te Puke and Murupara..

The Chaplaincy Teams based at the Bay of Plenty Hospitals

The BOP DHB is the main funder of the Chaplaincy services provided in its hospitals. The Tauranga Ecumenical Hospital Chaplaincy Committee is responsible for the support and management of the ecumenical chaplaincy team based at Tauranga Hospital which has 2 FTE chaplains and a team of chaplaincy assistants. The Whakatane Chaplaincy Support Committee is responsible for the administrative support and day to day management of its 1 FTE chaplain and some chaplaincy assistants. One of the full time chaplains at Tauranga Hospital provides relief cover for the chaplain at Whakatane during her periods of annual or sick leave.

February 2013