New appointment for the University of Otago in Tairāwhiti
Dr Diana Kopua (nee Rangihuna) has been appointed to the new part-time role of Associate Dean, Tairāwhiti, by the
University of Otago, Wellington. She will be providing support for all University of Otago students in the Tairāwhiti
(Gisborne) region, including Wairoa.
“This new role is significant because Dr Kopua will be providing support for health professional students in Tairāwhiti
from a variety of health disciplines and programmes, as well as making links within the community to foster various
aspects of workforce development,” says Professor Sunny Collings, Dean and Head of Campus of the University of Otago,
Wellington, which hosts the Tairāwhiti programme.
The role underlines the importance that the University of Otago places on supporting and developing health professionals
from communities like Tairāwhiti and Wairoa, working in partnership with local providers and the community.
Dr Kopua began her career as a nurse working in mental health in the Porirua, Wellington region and then trained at the
University of Otago in medicine, specialising in psychiatry. She is Head of the Psychiatry Department at Hauora
Tairāwhiti.
In her new additional role, Dr Kopua will work alongside Dr Patrick McHugh, the Academic Leader of the already
well-established Tairāwhiti Interprofessional Education (TIPE) programme.
This highly successful programme brings pre-registration students from different health disciplines together to learn
with, from and about each other as they gain clinical experience in rural New Zealand.
Since 2012, over 300 final year dental, dietetic, medical, nursing, occupational therapy, oral health, physiotherapy and
pharmacy students have participated in the TIPE programme. The students gain their experience working in the Tairāwhiti
and Wairoa communities, particularly with Māori health service providers, and giving back from their experience through
community project.
“The IPE programme provides wonderful opportunity for students of different disciplines to learn to work collaboratively
in caring for patients. The programme also focuses on learning about rural health, chronic conditions management, and
Hauora Māori,” says Professor Sue Pullon of UOW’s Primary Health Care & General Practice Department.