What is the culturally appropriate assessment model?

The culturally appropriate assessment model (CAAM) provides a framework for assessors when completing an interRAI Home Care assessment for Māori. It incorporates principles of, but is not limited to, tikanga, whakawhānaungatanga, and maanakitanga.

In 2020 the Ministry of Health and Technical Advisory Services (TAS) – which interRAI was part of, jointly commissioned a service design review to identify and evaluate future opportunities for interRAI Services. Details of the service design can be found in the documents below.

Read the service design executive summary and the full report below.

Service design report - summary version (PDF)

CAAM report and recommendations

From that review, it was determined by the then Director General of Health Ashleigh Bloomfield that building a culturally appropriate assessment model should be prioritised.

In 2022 interRAI Services commissioned the Francis Group (now Deloitte) to carry out the project to develop a culturally appropriate assessment model.

There were seven recommendations from the CAAM project. interRAI Services have focused on the recommendations that best sit within its business capabilities:

• Recommendation 2. Additional testing of the prototype model, and
• Recommendation 5. Governance which were both more clearly aligned with interRAI’s work programme and remit.

interRAI Services formed an internal project group and developed a training package, with external and subject matter expert input including Te Aka Whai Ora. The project steering group, members of whom include the Senior Advisor Whānau Voice, Te Aka Whai Ora staff, regional Needs Assessment Service Coordination (NASC) managers, the Chief Executive of NASCA and interRAI staff, had input into the development of the survey/feedback forms for both participants and NASC assessors.

interRAI Services approached all NASCs, with five districts agreeing to participate. They selected assessors to be educated and supported in the use of the CAAM framework.

Where are we up to?

The project to further test the prototype model and get feedback is in progress. interRAI Services is gathering feedback from both assessors, kuia and kaumātua to provide information to the Steering Group. A target of a minimum of 50 assessments are to be carried out with an end date of 31 March 2024 for the project.

What’s next?

At the end of the trial phase, recommendations will be written to Te Whatu Ora, and NASCA as to whether there should be a national roll out for interRAI Home Care assessors in all Health of Older Persons NASCs to complete the CAAM online training module and use the framework when assessing Māori. Recommendations will be made from the feedback collated and a focus group of NASC managers, assessors and kaumātua.