Ministry of Health seeking feedback on health strategies
Fri 17 Feb 2023
The Ministry of Health has begun work to develop 5 population-specific health strategies. Public consultation has begun for some of these health strategies including the strategies for women, disabled people and Hauora Māori. Some closing dates for feedback are in March 2023.
Consultation on health strategies
Update: Manatū Hauora | the Ministry of Health published the Government’s Pae Ora, Healthy Futures Strategies in July 2023.
Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health in partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora | Māori Health Authority and Te Whatu Ora | Te Whatu Ora is developing a series of health strategies.
There will be six health strategies in total – a Workforce Strategy and five population-specific strategies:
- Hauora Māori Strategy
- Pacific Health Strategy
- Health of Disabled People Strategy
- Women’s Health Strategy
- Rural Health Strategy.
The Women’s Health Strategy, Rural Health Strategy and Health Workforce Strategy are new strategies for Aotearoa New Zealand. The Hauora Māori Strategy, Pacific Health Strategy and Health of Disabled People Strategy will be informed by existing strategies and action plans.
Manatū Hauora described the purpose of the health strategies:
"The strategies will set the direction across the health system and will inform decision-making and priority setting by Government and the health system.
The purpose of the strategies is to provide the roadmap for change – they won’t commit us to particular actions needed to get there. This will be the role of the New Zealand Health Plan and the next Government Policy Statement."
The strategies are currently being developed. There are different ways to give feedback and participate in the development.
Currently submissions are open on the Health of Disabled People Strategy and the Women’s Health Strategy.
The closing date for both of these submissions is 17 March 2023.
For submissions on the Health of Disabled People Strategy, there are specific Questions for engagement and submissions.
For submissions on the Women's Health Strategy, there are no specific feedback questions, but there are suggested topics that include wellbeing, wellbeing needs, patterns and trends, the health system’s performance for women, priorities for system change and health workforce.
For information on development of the other strategies see the following:
This is part of the government's work to develop a new health system. Manatū Hauora has set up, Tātou, an online discussion platform for people to participate in this process. You can visit Tātou anytime you like, as many times as you like, to have your say. For more information see Contributing to the mahi or contact strategies@health.govt.nz.
Update: The Backbone Collective has published their submission to the consultation, Submission on Women’s Health Strategy from The Backbone Collective (March 2023).
Related news
Newly published research has found that women in Aotearoa who have experienced intimate partner violence are almost 3 times as likely to have a diagnosed mental health condition and almost twice as likely to have a chronic illness, compared with those who have not experienced intimate partner violence. For more information see the article Association between women’s exposure to intimate partner violence and self-reported health outcomes in New Zealand (2023).
Related media
What does the government’s new women’s health strategy actually offer?, The Spinoff, 17.07.2023
Study looks at impact of child abuse, Otago Daily Times, 15.03.2023
Family violence puts women at greater risk of suffering health issues - research, RNZ, 04.03.2023
Fresh look at hauora Māori strategy, Waatea News, 03.02.2023
Image: Hush Naidoo Jade Photography on Unsplash