Waikato District Health Board


The Waikato District Health Board is a district health board with the focus on providing healthcare to the Waikato region of New Zealand.

History

The Waikato 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.

Geographic area

The area covered by the Waikato 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 can be adjusted through an Order in Council.

Governance

The initial board was fully appointed. Since the 2001 local elections, the board has been partially elected 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.

Demographics

Waikato DHB served a population of 405,558 at the time of the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 46,248 people since the 2013 census, and an increase of 66,369 people since the 2006 census. There were 144,243 households. There were 199,959 males and 205,599 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.97 males per female. Of the total population, 85,497 people were aged up to 15 years, 81,351 were 15 to 29, 174,111 were 30 to 64, and 64,599 were 65 or older. Figures may not add up to the total due to rounding.
Ethnicities were 73.7% European/Pākehā, 23.9% Māori, 4.6% Pacific peoples, 10.0% Asian, and 2.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 19.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 50.2% had no religion, 35.1% were Christian, and 7.6% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 61,023 people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 64,365 people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $29,800. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 154,875 people were employed full-time, 47,331 were part-time, and 14,454 were unemployed.