What can the Ministry of Health do - overview
The NZ Ministry of Health acts across the whole health and disability sector to encourage a focus on improving and achieving the high-level national health and disability outcomes outlined in the NZ Public Health and Disability Act 2000 (‘The Act’) and in its own Statement of Intent. The Ministry, along with other government agencies, is required to manage with a focus on achieving outcomes.
The 21 District Health Boards (DHBs) set up under the Act contribute to these outcomes at the district level. Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) are the major - although not the sole - agents of health care delivery in primary care/community settings.
The Ministry of Health’s Statement of Intent (SOI)
The Ministry of Health’s Statement of Intent for the years 2006 – 2009
is firmly based on the four goals or outcomes described below in the
‘Purpose’ of the Act.
The focus on reducing inequalities is embedded in the Statement of Intent, both specifically with reference to He Korowai Oranga: Māori Health Strategy, and as a more general and pressing rationale for system change. The role of the Ministry of Health and its priority areas are outlined in the Statement of Intent – available on the Ministry website.
The NZ Public Health and Disability Act
The NZ Public Health and Disability Act (2000) clearly includes in its statement of purpose the four high-level goals that drive the Leading for Outcomes initiative.
Note that a separate emphasis is given to the goal of reducing health disparities.
“The purpose of this Act is to provide for the public funding and provision of personal health services, public health services, and disability support services, and to establish new publicly-owned health and disability organisations, in order to pursue the following objectives:
(a) to achieve for New Zealanders:
(i) the improvement, promotion, and protection of their health
(ii) the promotion of the inclusion and participation in society and independence of people with disabilities
(iii) the best care or support for those in need of services
(b) to reduce health disparities by improving the health outcomes of Māori and other population groups
(c) to provide a community voice in matters relating to personal health services, public health services, and disability support services:
(i) by providing for elected board members of DHBs
(ii) by providing for board meetings and certain committee meetings to be open to the public
(iii) by providing for consultation on strategic planning
(d) to facilitate access to, and the dissemination of information to deliver appropriate, effective, and timely health services, public health services and programmes, both for the protection and the promotion of public health, and disability support services.”
Full text of the legislation is available at www.legislation.govt.nz
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