Primary healthcare in Aotearoa is shifting for Māori whānau, with Tend Health, a digital-first provider launched in 2020 that blends online services with physical clinics, finalising a $270 million acquisition of The Doctors, a network of 65 medical clinics formerly owned by Green Cross Health.
This expansion marks a significant push to keep primary healthcare infrastructure in Aotearoa’s hands. By combining the 65 sites from The Doctors with the 25 clinics already part of Tend, the new group will serve over 550,000 enrolled patients nationwide.
Iwi leadership in health
Tend currently supports nearly 20,000 Māori patients. In regions where Tend’s digital-first model has been deployed, Māori enrolments have seen significant growth, in some areas rising by over 60 per cent, as the platform removes traditional barriers to care like cost, transport, and long wait times.
Dr Mataroria Lyndon, a co-founder and the Director of Population Health and Equity at Tend Health, says the decision to acquire these clinics was driven by a need for local control.
“Nā te āwangawanga mēnā kāhore he kaihoko Aotearoa nei, tērā pea ka hokona ēnei whare haumanu ki tāwāhi,” Lyndon said.
This is particularly timely following the sale of Tāmaki Health earlier this year to US private equity firm TPG.
The project has garnered strong backing from a group of iwi investors, including Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāi Tahu Holdings, Ahuahu Group, and Nāti Growth. Lisa Davis, tumu whakarae of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, says for her iwi, this investment is about securing essential infrastructure while empowering their people.
“We feel this investment is enabling whānau to have better access, getting beyond some of those barriers, and ultimately, leading to longer-term positive health outcomes,” says Davis.
As a long-term patient, Davis adds that the digital experience has been seamless.
“Being able to have appointments online, particularly for my daughter, has been really good,” she says.
A future focused on oranga
On the ground, the impact is visible at Tend Ōrākei, a clinic operated by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Dr Rawiri McKree-Jansen, who provides clinical services there, says the digital system helps those who find it difficult to reach a physical clinic, while simultaneously supporting Māori-focused care.
“Te pai o Tend, te whānui o ngā whare hauora, te pai o ngā kaupapa Māori i roto i tēnei Kaupapa Hauora nei,” he says.
While the platform grows, the company has emphasised that patients will continue to be cared for by the same clinical teams and medical centres they know, with continuity of care remaining the top priority during the transition.
Looking ahead, this partnership aims to reshape how Aotearoa approaches primary care by blending digital innovation with community connections.
Dr Mataroria Lyndon views this expansion as a vital step toward a future where healthcare is truly built around the needs of the people, rather than the constraints of the system.
“Tōku wawata mō Tend hei whai oranga mō o tātou nei whānau me ō tātou nei hapori, ngā whānau Māori, ngā whānau kāhore e taea ki te haere ki te rata, ngā tūroro,” says Lyndon.
“Nō reira, ko tērā te kaupapa nui ki ahau, te kaupapa nui o Tend, ki te whakanui, ki te hāpai i te hauora o Aotearoa nei me ngā whānau Māori.”
