Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand is a proposed public health agency established by the New Zealand Government to replace the country's existing 20 district health boards (DHB). Health NZ will work alongside the Māori Health Authority and Public Health Authority to manage the provision of healthcare services in New Zealand.[1][2] In December 2021 Margie Apa was appointed as chief executive of Health New Zealand.[3]

Mandate and responsibilities

Health New Zealand will assume responsibility for the planning and commissioning of health services as well as the functions of the 20 district health boards. The Ministry of Health will remain responsible for setting health policy, strategy and regulation. Health NZ will also work with the proposed Māori Health Authority to improve Māori health outcomes and services.[4]

The proposed agency will be New Zealand's largest employer, consolidating the DHBs' combined work force of 80,000, with an estimated annual operating budget of NZ$20 billion and an asset base of about NZ$24 billion.[5]  

History

Announcement

On 21 April 2021, Minister of Health Andrew Little announced plans to replace the country's 20 district health boards with a new public health agency called "Health New Zealand," which will be modelled after the United Kingdom's National Health Service. Health NZ will work alongside the proposed Māori Health Authority, which will be responsible for setting Māori health policies and overseeing the provision of Māori health services. In addition, a Public Health Authority will also be established to centralise public health work.[1][2]

In response, the National Party's health spokesperson Shane Reti criticised the Government's plan to replace the district health boards with a new centralised agency. He claimed that centralisation took away autonomy from local regions and suggested that the Government instead explore the consolidation of some functions such as asset management across the DHBs rather than abolishing them entirely. Reti claimed that the public was unaware of the cost of the Government's planned restructuring and the potential disruption it would cause.[6]

Formation

In mid-September 2021, the Government announced the interim board members of Health New Zealand. The agency will be chaired by Rob Campbell. Other board members include Sharon Shea (co-chair of the interim Māori Health Authority and current chair of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board), former National MP Amy Adams, chartered accountant and lawyer Cassandra Crowley, former Labour Member of Parliament Vui Mark Gosche, former Director General of Health Dame Karen Poutasi, senior executive Vanessa Stoddart, and general practitioner and kidney specialist Dr Curtis Walker.[5][7][8]

Notes and references
  1. Manch, Thomas; Witton, Bridie (21 April 2021). "Government announces radical plan to centralise healthcare, will abolish DHBs". Stuff. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. Quinn, Rowan (21 April 2021). "Major health sector shake-up: DHBs scrapped and new Māori Health Authority announced". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  3. "Chief executives of interim Health New Zealand and interim Māori Health Authority named". RNZ. 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  4. "The new health system". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  5. "Boards announced for interim Māori Health Authority and Health New Zealand". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 23 September 2021. Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  6. Walls, Jason (21 April 2021). "'Reckless' health shake-up could create two-tier health system – says the National Party". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  7. "Government announces team leading new Health NZ and Māori Health Authority". Radio New Zealand. 23 September 2021. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  8. Witton, Bridie (23 September 2021). "Health New Zealand and Māori Health Authority board members announced". Stuff. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
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