Health Minister Simeon Brown tabled Health New Zealand’s Annual Report in Parliament and delivered a new Letter of Expectations to Lester Levy, Chair of the Health New Zealand Board.
According to Brown, Health New Zealand must devolve decision-making nearer the frontline, while advancing the government’s core priorities and enhancing patient outcomes across the health system.
“The previous government’s mega-merger of our health system removed local decision-making and centralised too many decisions into Health New Zealand,” he said.
“We want a nationally and regionally planned system, but one that has strong clinical input and buy-in at the hospital level. That means devolving decisions to the people who are closest to patients and communities.”
In his Letter of Expectations, Brown details the government’s priorities and strategic direction for the upcoming year, which include ongoing efforts to meet the government’s health targets while strengthening primary and community care services.
Other priorities discussed in the letter include:
- Devolving decision-making to local districts and regions to ensure a nationally planned and locally delivered health system.
- Continuing to grow the health workforce and prioritise recruitment to frontline clinical roles.
- Building modern health infrastructure to support future needs.
Brown said he expects Health New Zealand to quickly transfer decision-making to its four regions and 20 districts “so they can get on with what they do best – delivering healthcare to patients.”
The letter also emphasises the importance of strong governance and accountability, with clearly defined delegations to ensure effective delivery throughout the health system. It stresses that decisions should be made as close as possible to communities and the frontline, while maintaining consistency at the national level.
“Health New Zealand has made good progress in stabilising its financial position. But challenges remain, and I expect the Board to continue driving efficiencies while investing in frontline delivery,” Brown said.