What we do
The Ministry of Health is the government’s primary agent in New Zealand’s health and disability system, and has overall responsibility for the management and development of that system.
The Ministry’s job is to improve, promote and protect the health of New Zealanders. Through our leadership of the health and disability system we will help ensure New Zealanders live longer, healthier and more independent lives, while delivering on the government’s priorities.
The Ministry acts as the Minister of Health’s principal advisor on health policy, thereby playing an important advisory role to the government in supporting effective decision-making. Health policy choices are complex and challenging, and we have a responsibility to provide clear and practical advice supported by strong analysis of issues.
At the same time, the Ministry has a role within the health sector as a funder, purchaser and regulator of health and disability services. In this way the Ministry provides leadership across the system and is the government’s primary means of driving performance improvements within the system.
As well as its key relationships with the government and the health and disability system, the Ministry also aspires to be a trusted and respected source of reliable and useful information about health and disability matters for all New Zealanders and the wider international community.
The Ministry’s core functions
The Ministry seeks to improve, promote and protect the health of New Zealanders by:
- advising the Minister of Health on policy, including advice on improving health outcomes, reducing disparities, ensuring fairness and increasing participation; nationwide planning, co-ordination and collaboration across the sector; and the implementation of the four key strategies currently in place (Health, Disability, Maori Health, and Primary Health Care)
- acting on behalf of the Minister to advise, fund, monitor and improve the performance of health sector Crown entities and district health boards (DHBs), which are responsible for the health of their local communities
- purchasing health support services on behalf of the Crown, including public health interventions, disability support, and screening, maternity and ambulance services
- administering, implementing and enforcing legislation and regulations on behalf of the Crown, and meeting legislative requirements
- providing key infrastructural support to the health and disability system, especially through the provision of national information systems and a payments service
- servicing Ministers’ offices and ministerial advisory committees.
In fulfilling these roles, the Ministry draws on internal expertise to provide clinical and technical advice to the Minister, and to the Ministry and the wider sector. Some of these Ministry functions have clinical decision-making and/or statutory responsibilities (such as those that rest with the Director of Public Health).
The Ministry and the National Health Board
Ministry relationships with district health boards are managed through the National Health Board business unit.
The National Health Board – along with the Capital Investment Committee, IT Health Board, and Health Workforce New Zealand – work with the Ministry to consolidate planning, funding, workforce planning and capital investment, as well as better supervise the billions of dollars in public funding spent on hospitals, primary health services and important national health services.
Page last updated: 20 May 2011
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