Bay of Plenty District Health Board

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board, like most other district health boards, came into effect on 1 January 2001 established by the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000.[1]

The area covered by the Bay of Plenty District Health Board is defined in Schedule 1 of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 and based on territorial authority and ward boundaries as constituted as at 1 January 2001. The area initially identified was Tauranga District,[lower-alpha 1] Western Bay of Plenty District, Whakatane District, Kawerau District, and Ōpōtiki District.[2] The area can be adjusted through an Order in Council,[3] which happened on 27 April 2001, by clause 7 of the Health (Constituencies of District Health Boards) Order 2001, when Mayor Island / Tuhua and Motiti Island were added to the area.[4]

The initial board was fully appointed. Since the 2001 local elections, the board has been partially elected (seven members) and in addition, up to four members get appointed by the Minister of Health. The minister also appoints the chairperson and deputy-chair from the pool of eleven board members.[5]

Bay of Plenty DHB served a population of 240,183 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 34,188 people (16.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 45,252 people (23.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 87,105 households. There were 117,069 males and 123,111 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female. The median age was 41.3 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 48,942 people (20.4%) aged under 15 years, 40,413 (16.8%) aged 15 to 29, 103,791 (43.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 47,034 (19.6%) aged 65 or older.[6]

Ethnicities were 76.8% European/Pākehā, 25.7% Māori, 3.0% Pacific peoples, 6.4% Asian, and 1.8% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.[6]

The percentage of people born overseas was 18.8, compared with 27.1% nationally.[6]

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 50.1% had no religion, 34.3% were Christian, 0.9% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.5% were Buddhist and 6.9% had other religions.[6]

Of those at least 15 years old, 33,576 (17.6%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 36,312 (19.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $29,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 28,698 people (15.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 88,737 (46.4%) people were employed full-time, 29,433 (15.4%) were part-time, and 7,626 (4.0%) were unemployed.[6]

• New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000, Parliamentary Counsel Office, 2000, retrieved 3 May 2020