Carlton Irving

Te Whakatōhea and Te Ūpokorehe

Carlton Irving has worked in paramedicine, emergency management, and advisory roles with the goal of creating better health support for Māori.

He uses his skills in medicine and strategy to collaborate with others in the health sector who share his "passion for promoting a thriving and equitable health system."

Currently, Carlton is the Chief Clinical Officer Allied Health at Te Aka Whai Ora Māori Health Authority. In this mahi, he partners with other organisations and government bodies to lead change in the health system that better addresses health inequities for Māori. He also works as a Medical Workforce Pathway Group Member at the Ministry of Health, where he provides specialist knowledge for recommendations on short, medium, and long-term solutions to make the medical workforce sustainable. They use a Māori partnership approach to ensure equity, and Te Tiriti is at the centre of their work.

Having already received a Bachelor of Health Science in Paramedicine and a Master's of Health Practice in Health Practice, he is also currently five years into a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo, the University of Otago. Not only is Carlton balancing his studies with his mahi, but he also cares for six children in his young family. He admits he's busy balancing whānau, study, and mahi, but he is convinced that "if you know where it's going to lead you, you can endure."

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