Certainty And Security In Health Services Reinforced

New Zealanders needing health care, health professionals and administrators can have confidence in the security and stability of health services with the release of the Government's health strategy for the next 3-5 years.

"We have made a lot of progress over recent years to make certain that the right structures are in place to get families, children and other New Zealanders access to the health services they require," Health Minister Wyatt Creech said today.

"With the structural change largely completed the health sector can get on with the job of making the current system work better for every New Zealander needing care.

"I am today releasing the Government's Medium Term Strategy which will guide decision makers and health professionals about the way forward for health."

The document sets out the Government's twelve medium term goals which are designed to:

build certainty and confidence amongst all participants in the security and stability of the New Zealand health and disability support system
give equity of health status to all New Zealanders
maximise the benefits of early intervention, proper integration of services, health promotion, and involvement of communities in developing their own solutions to their health issues.
"The Government wants real gains in the health status of New Zealanders, so all enjoy the benefits of good health and maximise their potential to live a full life.

"The strategy document guides the health sector on achieving this aim, and ensures certainty about health services."

For further information please contact Anna Hughes (04) 4719 819 or (025) 477 987. Copy of twelve goals attached.

THE GOVERNMENT'S TWELVE MEDIUM TERM GOALS

1 Public certainty about access, quality, and security of services

Give the public confidence that the level, mix, quality and structures of health and disability support services, including rural services, is secure and appropriate to both present and future.

2 Timely, equitable and nationally consistent access to elective services

Improve access to a nationally consistent level of publicly funded elective surgery services. This includes more timely access to first assessments and services, and ensuring that elective services are prioritised on a fair, transparent and consistent basis nationwide.

3 Acknowledging the special relationship between Mäori and the Crown

Acknowledge the special relationship between Maori and the Crown in the health sector to ensure that publicly funded health and disability services are responsive to Mäori and continue to enable greater Mäori participation at all levels of the health and disability sector.

4 Decreased long-standing disparities in health status

Make marked progress in decreasing the long-standing disparities in health and disability status, in particular for the needs of Mäori and the needs of Pacific peoples, so that these groups can enjoy the same level of health as other New Zealanders.

5 Improved mental health

Improve services to decrease the prevalence of mental illness and mental health problems, and reduce the impact of mental disorders on consumers, their families, caregivers, and the general community.

6 Improved child health

Implement the Government?s child health strategy and improve the health status of children at high risk of poor health.

7 Improved disability support services

Improve disability support services, with the aim of maximising the ability of people with disabilities and their caregivers to enjoy a full and independent life.

8 Greater emphasis on population health approaches

Improve population health policies to improve the overall health outcomes for all New Zealanders, especially those who traditionally have less healthy outcomes. This includes making further progress on immunisation rates, healthier lifestyles, less smoking, better diets, and screening and health promotion programmes.

9 Well co-ordinated, integrated services that contribute to better health and disability outcomes

Develop initiatives that integrate the work of providers of primary and secondary health services so as to maximise the overall health outcomes for people and their communities.

10 Intersectoral collaboration between agencies and providers to achieve social policy objectives

Promote and support collaborative intersectoral initiatives to improve the delivery of health and other social services that recognise the person as a whole, as part of the Strengthening Families strategy.

11 Improved capability and adaptability of the health and disability sector

Improve the long-term performance of the health system by enhancing adaptability and the use of information, and ensuring greater coherence between the health service purchasing and public hospital ownership strategies.

12 Sustainability of the publicly funded health system

Fund and develop services on a sustainable basis, lower compliance and administration costs, and continue to improve management of demand-driven expenditure.