Category: Health

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Review of the End of Life Choice Act 2019

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

In 2024, the Ministry of Health completed the first review of the End of Life Choice Act 2019.

The End of Life Choice Act is the law that makes assisted dying legal in New Zealand. The Act came into force on 7 November 2021, following a public referendum held alongside the 2020 General Election. The Act is administered by the Ministry of Health.

Under the legislation, the Ministry of Health is required to review the operation of the Act within three years of it coming into force, and every five years after that.

The review of the Act was undertaken in 2 parts:

  • a review of the operation of the Act by the Ministry of Health
  • an online process to gather public opinion about changes that could be made to the Act.

This publication provides the findings of the Ministry’s review of the operation of the Act, which examined whether the Act as currently written is operating effectively and achieving its intended purposes. In reviewing the Act, the Ministry considered whether changes could:

  • increase clarity around the meaning and interpretation of rules or settings in the Act
  • improve the effectiveness of mechanisms in the Act, such as those intended to address issues of access and safety
  • support effective administration of assisted dying
  • provide clarity around the roles and responsibilities of those involved
  • improve alignment of the Act with other relevant pieces of legislation, and the wider health system (including the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022).

The final report notes where things are working well and makes recommendations on changes that could be made to the Act to improve its effectiveness. Government parties agreed that any changes to the Act will be proposed through members’ bills.

Alongside the review, the Ministry also provided an online process to give the public an opportunity to share their views on what changes could be made to the Act. A summary of the submissions provided through this process can be found at Summary of Online Submissions Received on the End of Life Choice Act 2019.

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Annual Update of Key Results 2023/24: New Zealand Health Survey

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

The Annual Data Explorer presents results from the 2023/24 New Zealand Health Survey, with comparisons to earlier surveys where possible. Results are available by gender, age group, ethnic group, neighbourhood deprivation and disability status.

Annual Data Explorer 2023/24

This year, for the first time, results can also be viewed by the four New Zealand health regions:

  • Northern
  • Te Manawa Taki
  • Central
  • Te Waipounamu.

Published data can be downloaded from the Annual Data Explorer as a .csv file.

Data for the 2023/24 New Zealand Health Survey were collected between July 2023 and July 2024, with a sample size of 9,719 adults and 3,062 children. Details about the survey methodology are outlined in the latest Methodology Report and survey content in the Content Guide.

The trends in daily smoking and vaping have been presented in Trends in smoking and vaping: New Zealand Health Survey.

If you have any queries please email [email protected].

Overview of key findings

Selected findings from the 2023/24 New Zealand Health Survey are summarised below. See the Annual Data Explorer for results for all 180+ indicators.

Please note the following before reading the results:

  • In the New Zealand Health Survey, adults are people aged 15 years old and over.
  • Children in the total population are aged 0–14 years unless otherwise stated and disabled children are aged 5-14 years.
  • The parents or caregivers of children answered the survey questions on behalf of their child.
  • Where data is compared over time, comparisons are generally made with the previous year (2022/23) and/or five years ago (2018/19). Where data for an indicator is not collected every year, time periods may vary.

Most New Zealanders are in good health

  • In 2023/24, 85.4% of adults reported they were in ‘good health’, which is defined as good, very good or excellent health. This level of good health is similar to levels reported over the previous five years.
  • Disabled adults were less likely to report being in good health (60.0%) than non-disabled adults (87.8%).
  • Nearly all children were in good health in 2023/24. 96.5% of children were reported by their parents to be in ‘good health’ compared to 98.2% five years ago.
  • The percentage of parents or primary caregivers of disabled children who reported their child to be in ‘good health’ (88.3%) was lower than for non-disabled children (97.8%).
  • 82.0% of adults reported high or very high family wellbeing in 2023/24.
  • Most adults (83.0%) reported a high or very high level of life satisfaction.
  • Disabled adults were less likely to report high levels of life satisfaction (61.0%) than non-disabled adults (85.0%).

In the last five years, smoking has decreased and vaping has increased

  • About 300,000 adults (6.9%) were daily smokers in 2023/24, which is a similar rate to the previous year (6.8%) but a decrease from 12.9% in 2018/19.
  • Daily smoking rates have declined over the last five years in all ethnic groups, but inequities remain: Māori (from 30.4% to 14.7%), Pacific peoples (from 21.6% to 12.3%), European/Other (from 11.0% to 6.1%), and Asian (from 7.1% to 3.8%).
  • Trends in daily smoking among Pacific adults have fluctuated over the last few years, but the long-term trend shows daily smoking decreasing in this population.
  • Adults living in the most deprived neighbourhoods[1] were more likely to be daily smokers than adults living in the least deprived neighbourhoods (13.9% and 2.5%, respectively).
  • About 480,000 adults (11.1%) were daily vapers in 2023/24, up slightly from 9.7% the previous year and 3.3% in 2018/19.
  • The highest daily vaping rates were in Māori (28.8%), Pacific peoples (21.5%), and young people aged 18–24 years (26.5%).

  • Some new indicators on exclusive or combined daily smoking and daily vaping were published for the first time this year, including results for earlier years.

    • In 2023/24, 1.2% of adults were dual users (ie, both smoked and vaped daily). Rates of dual use have not changed over the last five years.
    • One in six adults (16.8%) smoked and/or vaped daily in 2023/24, up from 15.1% in 2018/19.

    See Trends in smoking and vaping: New Zealand Health Survey for more information.

[1] Neighbourhood deprivation refers to the New Zealand Index of Deprivation 2018 (NZDep2018), which measures the level of socioeconomic deprivation for each neighbourhood (Statistical Area 1) according to a combination of the following 2018 Census variables: household income, benefit receipt, household crowding, home ownership, employment status, qualifications, single parent families, living in home with dampness/mould and access to the internet.

Exposure to second-hand smoke has declined

  • 1.3% of children were exposed to second-hand smoke while travelling in a car or van in 2023/24, down from 4.0% when last measured in 2015/16. Child exposure to second-hand smoke inside the home decreased from 3.3% to 2.2% over the same period.
  • 4.6% of adults were exposed to second-hand smoke while travelling in a car or van in 2023/24, down from 9.5% in 2015/16. Adult exposure to second-hand smoke inside the home decreased from 6.5% to 4.6% over the same period.

One in six adults has a hazardous drinking pattern

  • The rate of hazardous drinking[1] was 16.6%, which is equivalent to about 720,000 adults. This is similar to last year (16.0%), but down from 20.4% in 2018/19.
  • The largest decrease in hazardous drinking over the last five years was among young people 18–24 years (from 35.8% to 22.6%).
  • One in 12 adults (8.2%) reported drinking six or more drinks on one occasion at least weekly. This is a decrease since 2018/19, when the rate was 12.3%.

[1] Hazardous drinking among the total population. Hazardous drinking refers to a score of 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), which suggests hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption.

Use of some illicit drugs is increasing

  • Nearly one in 20 adults (4.8%) reported using ecstasy/MDMA in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey, up from 3.6% in 2018/19.
  • 2.4% of adults reported using cocaine in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey, up from 1.5% in 2018/19.
  • 3.1% of adults reported using hallucinogens in 2023/24, up from 2.0% in 2018/19.
  • Reported use of all illicit drugs asked about in the Health Survey was higher in disabled adults than in non-disabled adults in 2023/24.

Young adults are most likely to experience psychological distress

  • Most adults experienced no/low (67.8%) or moderate (19.1%) levels of psychological (mental) distress[1] in the four weeks prior to the 2023/24 survey. However, 13.0% of adults experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress.
  • High or very high levels of psychological distress were more common in young adults aged 15–24 years (22.9%), disabled adults (33.2%), and in Pacific (20.0%) and Māori (19.5%) adults.
  • High or very high levels of psychological distress have increased over the last five years (8.3% in 2018/19 to 13.0% in 2023/24), with the largest increase in those aged 25–34 years (from 8.8% to 18.0%).
  • Disabled adults were more likely to experience high or very high levels of psychological distress than non-disabled adults (33.2% and 11.2%, respectively).

[1] Psychological distress was measured by the 10-item questionnaire Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). It refers to a person’s experience of symptoms such as nervousness, restlessness, fatigue, or depression in the past four weeks. The K10 is a screening tool, rather than a diagnostic tool, so it’s not recommended to use it to measure the prevalence of mental health conditions in the population.

One in nine children likely to have emotional symptoms and/or behavioural problems

  • The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)[1] examines emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems and prosocial behaviour in children ages 2–14 years.
  • In 2023/24, one in nine children (11.0%) were likely to have emotional symptoms and/or behavioural problems, meaning that they have a risk of experiencing substantial difficulties in these four aspects of development: emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer problems.
  • Disabled children were more likely to have emotional and/or behavioural problems than non-disabled children (47.8% and 4.9%, respectively).

[1] The SDQ is a screening tool, rather than a diagnostic tool.

Increase in unmet need for professional mental health support

  • 10.7% of adults had an unmet need for professional help for their emotions, stress, mental health or substance use in 2023/24, compared to 4.9% in 2016/17.
  • Unmet need for professional mental health support was highest among adults aged 25–34 years (16.2%).
  • 6.5% of children had an unmet need for professional help for their emotions, behaviour, stress, mental health or substance use in 2023/24, compared to 4.8% in 2016/17.
  • Disabled adults were more likely to report unmet need for professional mental health support than non-disabled adults (22.2% and 9.6%, respectively). Differences were even greater for disabled and non-disabled children (33.2% and 3.8%, respectively).

Most children have parents who cope well with parenting

  • In 2023/24, nearly four out of five children (78.5%) had a parent/caregiver who coped well or very well with demands of raising children.
  • Nearly all children (92.8%) had a parent/caregiver who reported having someone they can turn to for day-to-day emotional support with raising children.

One in four children live in households where food runs out

  • One in four children (27.0%) lived in households where food ran out often or sometimes[1] in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey. This is higher than the previous year (21.3% in 2022/23).
  • One in two Pacific (54.8%) and one in three Māori (34.3%) children were living in households where food ran out often or sometimes in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey. This compares to one in five European/Other (21.9%) and one in six Asian (17.1%) children.
  • In 2023/24, 26.1% of children lived in households where, in the past year, they often or sometimes ate less because of lack of money. This is higher than the previous year (20.3% in 2022/23). For Pacific children, this increased from 35.6% in 2022/23, to 53.0% in 2023/24.
  • Rates of each of these two food insecurity indicators[2] were higher in households where children were Māori, Pacific, disabled, or living in the most deprived neighbourhoods.

[1] This indicator was included in the annual Child Poverty Related Indicators Report produced by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC).

[2] The two household food insecurity indicators include questions about whether in the last 12 months the household sometimes or often, ran out of food, and ate less because of lack of money.

One in 11 adults meet vegetable intake guidelines

  • In 2023/24, nearly half of adults (47.1%) ate the recommended amount of fruit (2+ servings per day).
  • One in 11 adults (9.1%) ate the recommended amount of vegetables (5 to 6 servings, depending on age and gender).
  • Among children aged 2–14 years, 70.5% ate the recommended amount of fruit (1 to 2 servings, depending on age).
  • 8.2% of children aged 2–14 years ate the recommended amount of vegetables (2.5 to 5.5 servings, depending on age and gender).
  • Over half of children aged four months to less than five years at the time of the survey (55.7%) were exclusively breastfed until four months old.
  • The proportion of children eating breakfast everyday has declined over the last five years, from 84.5% in 2018/19 to 78.2% in 2023/24.

Fewer than half of adults meet physical activity guidelines

  • In 2023/24, 46.6% of adults met physical activity guidelines (ie, did at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity activity in the past week, spread out over the week). This is similar to last year (46.5%), but down from 50.9% in 2018/19.
  • One in 7 adults (13.6%) did little or no physical activity.
  • Adults living in the most deprived neighbourhoods were more likely to have done little or no physical activity than those living in the least deprived neighbourhoods (19.9% and 11.1% respectively).
  • Among children aged 5–14 years, 38.8% used active transport (e.g., walking and cycling) to get to and from school in 2023/24, down from 43.7% in 2018/19.

Nearly 1.5 million adults are classified as obese

  • In 2023/24, 62.9% of children and 31.2% of adults were of a healthy weight, which is similar to previous years.
  • One in three adults (33.8% or nearly 1.5 million) were classified as obese in 2023/24, up from 31.3% (1.25 million) in 2018/19.
  • One in eight children aged 2–14 years (12.5%) were classified as obese in 2023/24, compared to 11.4% five years ago.
  • Nearly half of adults (47.8%) living in the most deprived neighbourhoods were classified as obese, compared to 25.7% of adults living in the least deprived neighbourhoods.

Fewer children are meeting sleep duration guidelines

  • The proportion of children meeting sleep duration guidelines has declined over the last five years, from 78.3% in 2018/19 to 71.9% in 2023/24.
  • Children living in the most deprived neighbourhoods were less likely to meet sleep duration guidelines than those living in the least deprived neighbourhoods (59.0% and 78.9%, respectively).
  • Nearly seven out of 10 adults (69.3%) met the sleep duration guidelines in 2023/24, while 25.2% (or nearly 1.1 million) usually slept less than recommended, and 5.5% usually slept more than recommended.

Most people reported good, very good or excellent oral health

  • About three out of four adults (76.6%) reported their oral health to be good, very good, or excellent.
  • Most parents and caregivers (91.8%) reported their children’s oral health to be good, very good, or excellent.
  • 64.8% of children and 66.4% of adults brush their teeth with standard fluoride toothpaste at least twice each day.
  • For both adults and children, toothbrushing twice daily decreased as neighbourhood deprivation increased. In the most deprived neighbourhoods, 51.6% of adults and 54.1% of children brushed twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste, compared to 76.8% of adults and 71.0% of children living in the least deprived neighbourhoods.
  • Nearly half of adults (44.9%) reported unmet need for dental care due to cost. This barrier was more likely to be reported by adults who are Māori, Pacific, disabled, living in the most deprived neighbourhoods and those aged 25–54 years.

‘Time taken to get an appointment was too long’ was the most commonly reported barrier to visiting a GP

  • One in four adults (25.7%) and one in five children (18.5%) reported that ‘time taken to get an appointment was too long’ as a barrier to visiting the GP in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey. This is higher than the previous year (21.2% for adults and 14.8% for children).
  • Wait time as a barrier to seeing a GP was most likely to be reported by women aged 25–54 years, Pacific peoples, disabled people and those living in the most deprived neighbourhoods.
  • One in six adults (15.5%) reported not visiting a GP due to cost in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey. Those aged 25–34 years were more likely to report cost as a barrier (25.4%) than those in other age groups.
  • Among disabled adults, 11.2% reported cost as a barrier to filling a prescription compared to 3.8% of non-disabled adults.
  • Disabled children were more likely to experience time taken to get an appointment as a barrier to seeing the GP (23.3%) than non-disabled children (17.3%).

Visits to the GP decreased and visits to the emergency department increased

  • For both adults and children, visits to the GP have decreased over the last five years. 75.6% of adults visited a GP in the past 12 months, down from 78.1% in 2018/19. For children, 66.6% visited the GP in the past 12 months, down from 72.8% in 2018/19.
  • One in five (21.3%) children visited the emergency department (ED) in 2023/24, up from 15.1% in 2018/19. Visits in 2023/24 were highest among children aged 0–4 years (30.6%) and disabled children (28.6%).
  • Visits to ED also increased for adults over the last five years. 17.8% of adults visited ED at least once in the previous 12 months in 2023/24, compared to 15.0% in 2018/19.

Those living in the least deprived neighbourhoods more likely to have health insurance

  • 35.2% of adults and 27.6% of children had private health insurance, similar to previous years.
  • People living in the least deprived neighbourhoods were more likely to have private health insurance than people living in the least deprived neighbourhoods (49.5% vs 16.5% for adults, 44.8% vs 8.1% for children).
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Methodology Report 2023/24: New Zealand Health Survey

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

This methodology report details the procedures and protocols followed to ensure the New Zealand Health Survey produces the high-quality and robust data expected of official statistics.

The New Zealand Health Survey is a face-to-face survey with a multi-stage sampling design that involves randomly selecting a sample of small geographic areas, households within the selected areas, and individuals within the selected households. One adult aged 15 years or older and one child aged 14 years or younger (if any in the household) were chosen at random from each selected household.

Survey respondents are selected from the ‘usually resident’ population.

Of those invited to participate in the survey in 2023/24, the weighted response rate was 73% for adults and 70% for children. 9,719 adults and 3,062 primary caregivers (representing their children) agreed to be interviewed. This included 1,039 disabled adults and 270 disabled children.

Included in the methodology report is information about:

  • the survey population and sample design
  • data collection
  • response and coverage rates
  • data processing
  • weighting
  • analysis methods
  • changes in previously published statistics.

Information specific to the data collection and analysis of the New Zealand Health Survey 2023/24 is included in Section 9 of this report.

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Questionnaires and Content Guide 2023/24: New Zealand Health Survey

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

The content guide describes the content of the New Zealand Health Survey (NZHS) for the year ended 30 June 2024. Data was collected between July 2023 and July 2024.

The content guide also outlines the history of the NZHS and its development into a continuous survey, describes the process for developing the adult and child questionnaires for 2023/24 and provides an overview of each section of the survey.

The module topics for adults and children in 2023/24 were:

  • racial discrimination for adults
  • self-perceived height and weight for adults
  • migraine for adults
  • tobacco, vaping and exposure to second-hand smoke for adults
  • exposure to second-hand smoke for children
  • child development for children.
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Pacific Islands Families Study: Young Adult Gambling Behaviours and Associated Risk Factors

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Summary

In 2000, a cohort of 1,398 Pacific infants, born in South Auckland, was recruited into the Pacific Islands Families (PIF) longitudinal study. In this study, the PIF cohort, aged 22 years, was surveyed about their gambling behaviours. This study follows previous surveys (at ages 9, 14 and 17 years) to examine gambling behaviour across time.

The Pacific Islands Families Study involved 470 22-year-old Pacific youth and found that their gambling participation was low and generally infrequent. 

The most popular activity was informal betting with family and friends, followed by gaming machines. For those that gambled the prevalence of risky gambling and experiencing gambling harms was high. 

Daily or weekly online gaming at age 14 significantly predicted gambling harms at age 22, so did engaging in multiple gambling activities and drinking alcohol at age 17. Few gender or ethnic differences were noted.

Associations with mental health and risk factors for risky gambling and gambling harms were the same as for the general population. 

Key findings included:

Gambling participation

  1. about one-third of participants had gambled in the past year on an average of three gambling activities, and the gambling was generally infrequent. This was similar to when participants were aged 17 years old.
  2. casino gaming machines, club gaming machines, and casino table games had the highest average monthly spending ($55.2, $51.1, and $50.4 respectively).
  3. at age 22, while still most commonly gambling with friends (50%) or family (46.7%), more of them are gambling alone (21.3%) compared to at age 17 (5.2%)
  4. at age 22, 13.2% of all participants gambled in a risky manner (this was 37.7% of those who gambled). The percentage of participants classified as problem gamblers increased with increasing age (4.7% at age 17, 6.8% at age 22), though results are not directly comparable due to different screens used in the surveys.

Gambling harm

  1. about one-third of participants who gambled experienced between one and eight different harms from their gambling, mostly commonly feeling of regret.
  2. about one-third of participants who gambled were worried about their gambling and two-fifths sought informal help from someone close to them. The percentage who had a lot of worry about their gambling doubled from 4.4% (age 17) to 8.6% (age 22).
  3. risky gambling was statistically associated with less perceived quality of life and increased problematic behaviours such as aggression, intrusion1, and rule breaking2.  Gambling harms were statistically associated with rule breaking behaviour and depression.
  4. 8.7% experienced negative consequences (mainly occasional worry) due to someone else’s gambling, with more than half of the ‘someone else’ being parents.

Predictors of gambling harm

  1. daily or weekly online gaming at age 14 significantly predicted gambling harms at age 22, so did engaging in multiple gambling activities and drinking alcohol at age 17. 

Read the report

Pacific Islands Families Study: Young Adult Gambling Behaviours and Associated Risk Factors (PDF, 2 MB)

Note: The report is published on the AUT Gambling & Addictions Research Centre website.

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Special Patients and Restricted Patients: Guidelines for Regional Forensic Mental Health Services

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Regional forensic mental health services are responsible for the care and treatment of special patients and restricted patients within the legislative framework of the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 and the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003. Regional forensic mental health services have a focus on recovery and rehabilitation, but also need to maintain safety and security for tāngata whaiora and the public.

New Zealand legislation specifically allows for people who have been charged with or convicted of an offence, and who meet certain criteria in terms of their mental illness, to be treated for that condition in hospital. Treatment of mental illness can be an important step in helping an individual to acknowledge and address the reasons for their offending, and in doing so reduce the chances of future offending and significantly improve their wellbeing.

When managing special patients, forensic mental health services are required to balance the rights, treatment and rehabilitative needs of the individual patient against the safety of the public and the concerns of victims.

The clinical management of special patients lies with the patient’s responsible clinician. However, leave and change of legal status require consideration and approval by the Director of Mental Health and (depending on the legal status of the patient) the Minister of Health and/or the Attorney-General. This level of decision-making reflects the seriousness of special patients’ status and the need to ensure that a wide range of factors are considered when making decisions about such patients.

These guidelines are intended to foster consistent decision-making by clinicians, facilitate the administration of matters relating to special patient leave, and provide transparency around the processes used in reaching decisions about special patients.

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Unlocking the Potential of Active Ageing

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Submissions close Monday, 2 December 2024 5:00pm.

This document is your first opportunity to contribute to the Ministry’s Long-term Insights Briefing.

Feedback we receive will help us better shape the topic and questions we explore during the drafting process for the briefing, which will be published in 2025.

How to have your say

Public consultation closes at 5pm on Monday 2 December.  You can make a submission in any of the following ways:

Complete the consultation online

  • Email [email protected] with your completed submission form (docx, 35 KB), including your response to the consultation questions for feedback. 
  • Write your response and mail it to:
    Strategy Group
    Ministry of Health
    PO Box 5013 
    Wellington 6140 
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Meremere Wildfire, North Waikato

Source: Waikato District Health Board

The large vegetation fire near Meremere, which includes the Whangamarino wetlands is now under control. Fire and Emergency New Zealand said the fire may take some time to fully extinguish due to where it is burning in peat and wetland.

Although under control, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora says there is potential that people who are sensitive to smoke – such as those with heart or lung conditions, people who are pregnant, young children and the elderly – may experience symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath or eye, nose and throat irritation.

Dr Richard Wall, Medical Officer of Health for the National Public Health Service says exposure to smoke can worsen pre-existing health conditions such as heart and lung disease.

“People affected by the smoke should close windows and doors and reduce outdoor exercise”.

Dr Wall said residents on a roof water tank supply were advised to disconnect the pipe to their tank if a lot of ash and debris was falling to avoid water becoming contaminated.

“Only reconnect the water supply after the next heavy rain (discarding the ‘first flush’), to avoid getting ash in your drinking water.”

The experience of being exposed to an event like a fire can be distressing and it’s normal to feel anxious in situations like this. If you are feeling anxious or just need someone to talk to, you can call or text 1737 any time and you can speak to (or text) a trained counsellor free of charge or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.

If you see or smell smoke outside, you should stay inside if it is safe to do so.

Remember to:

  • Keep your windows and doors shut
  • Switch your air conditioning to ‘recirculate’
  • Air out your house when the smoke clears
  • Look out for children, older people, and others at risk
  • Keep pets inside with clean water and food. Keep pets’ bedding inside if possible.
  • Roof water supply: Disconnect the pipe to your tank if there is ash and debris on your roof, and only reconnect after the next heavy rain to avoid getting ash in your drinking water.

For information about the fire visit the Fire and Emergency New Zealand website

Media contact: hnzmedia@health.govt.nz

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Ministry of Health Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2024

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Summary

The Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2024 sets out who we are and what we do, how we manage our business, our financial statements and statement of service performance as specified in Vote Health – Main Estimates of Appropriation 2023/24 and (where updated) in Vote Health – Supplementary Estimates of Appropriation 2023/24.

It provides a detailed breakdown of our achievements for the 2023/24 financial year and the progress made towards our six strategic objectives:

  • Provide system-level leadership
  • Drive system strategy and performance
  • Be the Government’s primary advisor on health
  • Future-proof our health system 
  • Be the regulator of the health system 
  • Transform ourselves.

Disclaimer: The graph for Figure 10, ‘Percentage of kaimahi who believe te ao Māori perspectives are relevant to their work’, differs from the print version of the Te Aho o Te Kahu 2023/23 Annual Report. This was due to an error where the graph for Figure 9, ‘Explain kaupapa Māori concepts’, was duplicated for both Figure 9 and Figure 10.

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Strategic Intentions 2024–2028

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Summary

The Strategic Intentions 2024–2028 is how the Ministry informs Parliament and the public about:

  1. the strategic objectives that the Ministry intends to achieve or contribute to over the medium term
  2. what the Ministry intends to achieve with appropriations
  3. the nature and scope of the Ministry’s functions and operations to achieve or contribute to the strategic objectives.

There are three main sections.

  • Section one – introduction, including our purpose, functions and responsibilities, and our context
  • Section two – our strategic direction, which includes our strategic priorities and priority activities
  • Section three – how we operate as an organisation to achieve our strategic intentions. 

The document sets out the Ministry’s own strategic focus, functions and priorities aligned and contributing to, but distinct from those of the Government. 

The Ministry is responsible for reporting annually on progress against the Strategic Intentions 2024–2028 and what has been achieved with appropriations. Parliament sees information on performance reporting in the Ministry’s annual reports and information supporting the Estimates.

The Ministry’s Strategic Intentions 2024–2028 also includes the strategic intentions of Te Aho o Te Kahu – Cancer Control Agency. The agency is a departmental agency hosted by the Ministry and is operating within the Ministry’s strategic and policy framework.