District health board

Why the government’s haste in changing the health system could come back to haunt it

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 18, 2024
District health board, PR, University, Aggression, Partnership, Patient, Hospital, Policy, Death, Seed, Health policy, Breast cancer, Workforce, Ministry, Nursing, Government, Legislation, Violence, Health insurance

However, in the health sector this need for speed entails policy risks that could come back to bite the government before the next election.

Key Points: 
  • However, in the health sector this need for speed entails policy risks that could come back to bite the government before the next election.
  • The biggest such risk comes from the disestablishment of the Māori Health Authority-Te Aka Whai Ora.

More health sector confusion

  • While the parts of the act referring to the Māori Health Authority have been excised, the act retains its primary focus on reducing health inequities.
  • To date, health minister Shane Reti has avoided using the words “equity” or “inequities”, instead preferring a generic focus on improving health outcomes, including for Māori.
  • But the planning and decision making mandated under the legislation still require government health agencies to address health inequities.
  • Despite having misgivings about the re-centralisation of the health system, the government has not reversed the merging of 20 District Health Boards into Health New Zealand.

Health targets rebooted

  • Other changes resemble initiatives introduced during the last National-led government in 2009, including specific health targets.
  • The health targets involve specified performance levels, such as ensuring that 95% of patients visiting emergency departments are seen within six hours.
  • Health New Zealand bears either the cost of continuing to fund security guards or the reputational risk of their reduced presence.
  • The government may have already dented minister Reti’s chances of building positive relationships with health sector leaders and interest groups.
  • The Māori Health Authority had widespread support from health sector groups.
  • While governments often draw criticism from the health sector, few have done so quite this rapidly.


Tim Tenbensel receives funding from the Health Research Council. He is affiliated with Health Coalition Aotearoa.

Ending the ‘postcode lottery’ in health is more than a technical fix – it means fundamentally reorganising our systems

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Learning, Pressure, Uncertainty, Poverty, Inequality, Communication, Technology, Food, Democracy, Capitalism, Face, Contract, Leadership, Policy, New Zealanders, Human, District health board, Society, Government, Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, Pandemic, Climate change, Social change, Health, Food security, Social media, Renewable energy, Tourism, Agriculture, Management, Risk management

Although we are more connected than ever virtually, where we live continues to shape many aspects of our lives.

Key Points: 
  • Although we are more connected than ever virtually, where we live continues to shape many aspects of our lives.
  • It is no surprise New Zealanders experience a “postcode lottery” in health.
  • But the causes of health inequality extend beyond the influence of the now dismantled District Health Boards (DHBs).

Inequality is a policy and governance choice

    • Our current policy systems prefer blunt, siloed, distant approaches that work against learning and adapting as we go.
    • This distance has increased the challenge for our policy systems to achieve health and social goals.
    • The latter were intended to transform local health systems, but have not yet improved equitable access, let alone spread innovative practice.
    • Where a siloed policy focus discourages local cooperation, they have pooled resources.

A paradigm shift to acting within complexity

    • These promote regenerative action and greater local focus through more sophisticated connections and whole-system goals.
    • These and other ways of focusing on enriching and keeping value within local communities have also been flourishing.
    • New service and community networks within the current health reforms, known as “localities”, could be transformational if set up as learning systems.
    • Rather than being driven by data and technology, “human learning systems” support timely reflection on successes and failures, and share expert and local knowledge.
    • They are better able to respond to changing needs and offer a way for all communities to have agency and a voice.

WiSilica and CMS Team-up to provide RTLS solutions to Counties Manukau District Health Board, NZ 

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Articles, Counties Manukau, Manukau, District health board, Internet of things

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif., Nov. 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WiSilica, a leading smart IoT solutions provider, join hands with Complete Medical Solutions (CMS), an innovative healthcare IT and services company, to provide real-time location-based solutions to Counties Manukau District Health Board, New Zealand.

Key Points: 
  • LAGUNA HILLS, Calif., Nov. 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WiSilica, a leading smart IoT solutions provider, join hands with Complete Medical Solutions (CMS), an innovative healthcare IT and services company, to provide real-time location-based solutions to Counties Manukau District Health Board, New Zealand.
  • The initiative is to scale and leverage County Manukau District Health Boards commitment to ensuring security and on-time services to its patient community.
  • "it's also a pride to see an institution, likeCounty Manukau District Health Board,withstrong commitments to itspeople,put our technology to their best use," he adds.
  • Since its inception,County Manukau District Health Boardplan and fund towards the upliftment of personal health, public health, and disability support services for the well-being of its citizens.