Regulation of the health and disability system

Regulation of the health and disability system is required to ensure that health service providers and products are safe, and that providers operate in an ethically acceptable way.

Regulation of the health system helps provide assurance to New Zealanders that they can trust the services they use.

The Ministry has a key role in administering, implementing and enforcing legislation and regulations. Through this work it seeks to improve and manage sector regulation so that patient health is protected while minimising compliance costs.

This section provides information about the Ministry's regulatory work in relation to health service providers and products.

In this section

  • Information about changes in the abortion legislation and what these changes mean for health practitioners. Read more
  • Assisted dying is a health service available in New Zealand since 7 November 2021. These pages provide information about the assisted dying health service including information for the public, information for health professionals and health service providers, and contacts. Read more
  • Update on progress from the review of the Burial and Cremation Act 1964 and next steps. Read more
  • Certifying health care services ensures they provide safe and reasonable levels of service. This section provides information on certification for service providers, auditing agencies, and district health boards. Read more
  • Information about drug checking services and service providers. Read more
  • The Environmental Health Officers Qualifications Regulations 1993 state that no person shall be appointed as an Environmental Health Officer unless they are qualified, ie hold the National Diploma in Environmental Health Science or a qualification accepted by the Director-General of Health as at least equivalent to it. Read more
  • Health practitioners are regulated to protect the public where there is a risk of harm from professional practice. This section provides information about regulated professions, restricted activities, quality assurance, and how to register a new profession. Read more
  • This section provides information about high-power laser pointers. Read more
  • The Human Tissue Act regulates how human tissue is collected and used. This section provides guidance on the consent process, the Standard for non-therapeutic use, and use for research purposes. Read more
  • Information about the current regulations that apply to the use of industrial hemp for industry and as a food. Read more
  • A health care worker may need to perform a simple check on a child at a school or early childcare centre to determine if the child has a medical condition such as an ear infection, head lice, scabies, or vision or hearing loss. Read more
  • The Medicinal Cannabis Agency administers the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme and ensures medicinal cannabis products meed the minimum quality standard. Read more
  • The Medicines Act 1981 regulates medicines, related products and medical devices in New Zealand. The Act ensures that the medicines and products used in New Zealand are safe and effective. Read more
  • Medicines control in New Zealand includes overseeing the distribution chain of medicines and controlled drugs. This section provides information about pharmacy licensing and drug abuse containment activities.   Read more
  • Psychoactive substances are regulated in New Zealand by the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013 Read more
  • This section provides information about the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 and how it regulates smoked tobacco products in New Zealand and what that means for retailers, manufacturers, importers and distributors of smoked tobacco products. Read more
  • Information about current sterilisation legislation reporting requirements and support for sterilisation providers in New Zealand. Read more
  • On 24 November a new coalition Government was formed following the general election. Consistent with its commitment to the public, the Government will repeal the Therapeutic Products Act (2023). Read more
  • This section provides information about how the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 regulates vaping, herbal smoking and smokeless tobacco products in New Zealand and what that means for retailers, manufacturers and importers of vape products. Read more
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