About Us
At the heart of Rotorua's healthcare
Rotorua Area Primary Health Services (RAPHS) is a not for profit clinical network. We have been committed to improving health and wellbeing in the Rotorua region for over 25 years.
A group of forward-thinking doctors from General Practices in the Rotorua community first established our organisation in 1991.
Today, RAPHS is Rotorua's Primary Health Organisation (PHO). As a PHO, we manage a range of clinical programmes for our community, and provide business, administrative and technology support for our member providers and partner organisations.
We work closely with healthcare teams who provide health services to about 72,000 people in the Rotorua city and rural areas.
For more information on our providers, and to find out how to enrol, click here.
Our people
RAPHS is governed by a board of directors led by Chairperson Dr Genevieve Matthews. All board members are health professionals working in the Rotorua community.
Chief Executive Officer, Kirsten Stone, leads a senior management team and around 40 full and part-time staff. Our staff bring to the team a mix of experience and skills from clinical, IT, research and business backgrounds.
Our offices are based in central Rotorua.
RAPHS Annual Report
See what RAPHS has been doing this past year in this annual report.
RAPHS Annual Report 2021 to 2022.
RAPHS Financial Statement 2021 to 2022
What is a PHO?
Rotorua Area Primary Health Services (RAPHS) is a Primary Health Organisation (PHO).
PHOs are not for profit organisations that receive funding from District Health Boards to provide primary health care services. PHOs work with a network of General Practice teams and other health care professionals in their community.
RAPHS health provider members
- Provide primary health care to around 72,000 people in the Rotorua area
- Assist patients to access hospital and specialist care, if and when it is needed
- Work to improve the health of people in the community with health promotions, screening, programmes, vaccinations and other activities.
What is primary health care?
In New Zealand, we follow an international system where healthcare is described as
- primary healthcare – services provided by doctors and other health professionals in the community
- secondary healthcare – services provided by hospitals
- tertiary healthcare – specialist services
The term primary health care includes the care given by doctors and nurses in general practices when you are sick or need a check-up.
- Promote healthy living – exercise and eating well
- Prevent diseases and injuries – check-ups, screening and immunisations
- Provide rehabilitation – help after someone recover from an illness or after an accident
A primary health care provider is usually a patient’s first point of contact with the health system – unless it is an emergency.