King releases third progress report on implementing New Zealand Health Strategy

Health Minister Annette King says the third annual report on implementing the New Zealand Health Strategy represents the face of the strategy working at national, district and local levels.

Implementing the New Zealand Health Strategy 2003 illustrates ways District Health Boards and other healthcare providers, especially Primary Health Organisations, are achieving objectives and priorities of the strategy.

“Today’s report highlights some of the local initiatives that are making such a difference in New Zealand communities. We’re developing innovative solutions to local health needs and involving communities in the planning and delivery of health services,” says Ms King.

Rapid progress has been made in the development of PHOs nationally, with more than two million New Zealanders now enrolled with the 53 PHOs.

“As a consequence more than one in four New Zealanders have access to low-cost primary health care,” says Ms King.

The 2003 report also outlines the growth of DHBs in their roles as funders and providers of health services with DHBs taking over funding for disability support services for older people this year. Population-based funding was also introduced in 2003 to fairly distribute available funding between DHBs.

Progress on implementing He Korowai Oranga: the Maori Health Strategy is also outlined in the report, including actions to enhance relationships between DHBs and Maori and to involve Maori in PHOs.

The NZHS, published in 2000, contained 61 population health objectives, with 13 chosen for implementation in the short to medium term.

Data in the 2003 report shows progress in many areas, including smoking, youth suicide and diabetes, while further concerted effort by the health sector is needed in other areas.

The report includes 20 case studies representing a few of the initiatives developed in response to challenges set by the strategy.
Ms King says the sector’s commitment to fostering innovation was exemplified by this year’s inaugural Health Innovation Awards, while many capital works programmes have also progressed during the year.

“The completion of Auckland’s $447 million building programme has been a huge success for the Auckland region, for example.”

Copies of Implementing the New Zealand Health Strategy 2003 are available on the Ministry of Health website www.moh.govt.nz.

Contact John Harvey (04) 471 9305 or Keiran Bleach (04) 470 6851.

Questions and Answers

What is the New Zealand Health Strategy?
The New Zealand Health Strategy was published in 2000 and emphasises a health system that puts people at the heart of health care. The New Zealand Health Strategy highlights the priorities the Government considers to be most important. Those priorities reflect diseases such as diabetes and cancer as well as factors that influence health, such as smoking and nutrition. A New Zealand Health Strategy is required under the NZ Public Health and Disability Act 2000. The Act also requires the Minister of Health to report annually on progress in implementing the New Zealand Health Strategy, and the annual report must be presented to the House of Representatives and be made publicly available.

What are the 13 objectives chosen for implementation of the NZHS in the short to medium term?
·reduce smoking
·improve nutrition
·reduce obesity
·increase the level of physical activity
·reduce the rate of suicides and suicide attempts
·minimise harm caused by alcohol and illicit and other drug use to individuals and the community
·reduce the incidence and impact of cancer
·reduce the incidence and impact of cardiovascular disease
·reduce the incidence and impact of diabetes
·improve oral health
·reduce violence in interpersonal relationships, families, schools and communities
·improve the health status of people with severe mental illness
·ensure access to appropriate child health care services, including well child and family health care and immunisation

To help DHBs focus their efforts, the Minister of Health agreed to work on seven key service priorities in the short term. These were chosen for their impact on a wide range of priorities and objectives outlined in the strategy. They are:

·achieving Maori advancement in health through implementation of He Korowai Oranga (The Maori Health Strategy)
·the development of a comprehensive primary health care coverage and quality primary health care services through the implementation of the Primary Health Care Strategy
·implementing the New Zealand Disability Strategy
·promoting an improvement, through reducing inequalities, in the health status of those currently disadvantaged
·reducing the impact and incidence of diabetes
·reducing waiting times for public hospital elective services through the continuing to implement the Elective and Scheduled Services Policy
·improving the health status of people with severe mental illness through continued implementation of the mental health Blueprint

What was the first annual report on implementing the NZHS about?
The report - tabled in Parliament in December 2001 - addressed each of the 13 population health objectives and the different priorities chosen to assist implementation of the objectives. At the time of the first report's release, it was less than a year after the release of the NZHS. At that time, DHBs had been in place less than a year and they were concentrating on their establishment processes. As a consequence, the report focused mainly on the activities of the Ministry of Health in preparing advice for DHBs and other healthcare providers.

What was the second report about?
The 2002 report contained more detail about how DHBs and other healthcare providers have developed ways to achieve the objectives and priorities of the NZHS. It also contained information on the seven key service priorities for achieving these objectives and priorities.

What is the third report about?
The 2003 report builds on the approach of the 2002 report. It includes activities and initiatives occurring across the health sector to improve health, reduce disease and injury, and foster innovation and quality. The report also includes case studies of initiatives in different parts of New Zealand. The 2003 report also identifies the substantial progress made to date in development of PHOs nationally, as well as examples of innovative PHO activities. The 2003 report is structured around the seven principles of the New Zealand Health Strategy. They are:
·Acknowledging the special relationship between Mäori and the Crown under the Treaty of Waitangi
·Good health and wellbeing for all New Zealanders throughout their lives
·An improvement in health status of those currently disadvantaged
·Collaborative health promotion and disease and injury prevention by all sectors
·Timely and equitable access for all New Zealanders to a comprehensive range of health and disability services, regardless of ability to pay
·A high-performing system in which people have confidence
·Active involvement of consumers and communities at all levels