Public Health
Latest | Media coverage | Commentary | Academic Literature | Legislation | Reports and Government Documents
Focusing on efforts to promote health and prevent disease in populations, intervening at the level of the social and economic determinants of health to achieve health equity.
Latest
Media coverage
Health workers say replacing them with physician associates a poor use of money
Doctors, nurses, practice owners and their professional bodies are calling on the government to press pause on moves to regulate "physician associates" to fill workforce shortages. Read...
‘Culturally intolerable’ for nurses not to speak English? Or ‘racist’ to insist?
From "emboldening racists" to being "disrespected and excluded" - it seems everyone had an opinion on what language nurses in New Zealand hospitals should be speaking. Read...
The heated tobacco products excise cut – a trial, but not as we know it
Conducting trials of plausibly effective policy interventions is an excellent idea. But there are some problems with the Government’s ‘trial’ on heated tobacco products excise tax. Read...
Commentary
HE PĀNUI WHAKAHAU A TE MANA WHAKAHAERE KAIWHAKAWĀ D STONE MEMORANDUM-DIRECTIONS OF PRESIDING OFFICER JUDGE D STONE
This memorandum-direction addresses material relevant to the Health Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry (Wai 2575).
Healthy Families NZ – a decade of impact
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora’s Healthy Families NZ is marking ten years of impact with the release of an impact report ‘Reshaping our systems for a healthier Aotearoa New Zealand’.
Ministry of Health Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2024
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.
Academic Literature
Getting the crowd to care: Marketing illness through health-related crowdfunding in Aotearoa New Zealand
Campaigns for personal health expenses make up the largest and fastest-growing segment of donation-based crowdfunding. Read more
Toitū te Tiriti: A Tiriti o Waitangi-led Approach to Public Health Curriculum Development
In Aotearoa NZ, health promotion has a whakapapa in social justice and equity. Health promotion action must align with Te Tiriti o Waitangi aspirations of relationships, rangatiratanga, and equity. Read...
Implementation of the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme in New Zealand: six emerging trends
Since the establishment of the first medicinal cannabis schemes in California and Israel in the 1990s, a growing number of countries have legalised access to cannabis-based products for medicinal use. Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the latest countries. Read...
Legislation and Parliament
Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022
The purpose of this Act is to provide for the public funding and provision of services in order to—
(a) protect, promote, and improve the health of all New Zealanders; and
(b) achieve equity in health outcomes among New Zealand’s population groups, including by striving to eliminate health disparities, in particular for Māori; and
(c) build towards pae ora (healthy futures) for all New Zealanders.
Reports and Government Documents
Ministry of Health, Long-term insights briefing 2023
The Public Service Act 2020 requires government departments to develop and publish long-term insights briefings at least once every three years. Read...
Health NZ Financial Reporting from FY 2023/24
Health NZ has elected to proactively release documents (including financial reports, briefings, aide mémoires and letters) to provide additional transparency around matters related to Health NZ’s financial performance. Read...
Waka Kotahi directed by minister to stop blanket speed limit reductions
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has issued a directive to Waka Kotahi and councils around the country to cease blanket speed limit reductions. Read...
Key issues
HEALTH SERVICES AND SYSTEMS
EQUITY
DRUGS, DEVICE AND DIAGNOSTICS
PUBLIC HEALTH
DIGITAL HEALTH
TE TIRITI