Māori Pharmacist association of New Zealand

Our CE, Bryce was invited to talk at the Māori Pharmacist association of New Zealand last month where he shared his thoughts on leadership, cultural learning and the journey toward more equitable health services in Aotearoa.

Bryce talked about growing up in rural Victoria, Australia with very little exposure to cultural diversity. He later recognised the unconscious biases that environment had shaped. Perspectives began to shift through early work with the Urban Mission Unit in Melbourne, where relationships with Aboriginal communities challenged his assumptions and broadened his understanding. Those experiences, along with meaningful cross-cultural friendships, reinforced the importance of honouring people’s stories and cultures.

After moving to New Zealand, Bryce trained in counselling and spent many years working in schools supporting rangatahi and whānau facing hardship. The loss of his first wife to cancer while raising two young children deepened his understanding of compassion and community. Now, at the forefront of hospice services in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, he applies those lessons through a leadership approach centered on listening, partnership, and humility.

Under this approach the hospice has grown significantly and now better reflects the community it serves, with Māori patients increasing from around 11% to about 70%. Bryce emphasises that leadership is about creating space for others, taking thoughtful human risks to honour relationships and dignity, and supporting the clinicians who provide compassionate care to whānau every day.