Media release from minister of health Tony Ryall

The New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill has been introduced to the House of Representatives.

"The proposed changes introduced today represent a major drive for better value for money in our public health sector and will enable greater national and regional cooperation in the sector and reduce duplication and bureaucracy" says Health Minister Tony Ryall.

The bill proposes legislative amendments necessary to support reforms recommended by the Ministerial Review Group earlier this year including:

structural changes to enhance quality improvement activity, including the stablishment of the Health Quality and Safety Commission; and enabling the appointment of elected DHB members to the boards of other DHBs.

amending planning requirements of District Health Boards (DHBs) to provide for a planning and accountability framework that takes account of national, regional and local requirements; amending the objectives and functions of DHBs to ensure they work together for the most effective and efficient delivery of health services to meet national, regional and local needs; amendments to support the provision of shared administrative, support and procurement services across the public health system, including additional powers to enhance ministerial ability to require greater system collaboration and use of shared services, such as by use of ministerial direction; amending regulation making powers relating to arbitration and mediation in the current Act, to enable these powers to have wider application, particularly where there are disputes between DHBs about how national, regional and local requirements are best provided;

"We inherited a fragmented public health system ill placed to cope with the significant financial and clinical challenges facing it.  There has been too much duplication that has led to poor regional and national performance and a track to financial crisis" says Mr Ryall.

"These changes will enable us to improve efficiency and move more resources to frontline health services."

It is proposed the bill be referred to the Health Select Committee.