Statutory entities, boards and committees

This page provides information on ethics committees, Crown entities, responsible authorities, Medsafe committees and other boards and committees that Manatū Hauora assists the Minister of Health to appoint members to.

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Ethics committees

Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology

ACART is a ministerial ethics committee established under section 32 of the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology (HART) Act 2004. ACART provides independent advice to the Minister of Health and issues guidelines and advice to the Ethics Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology on procedures and research requiring case by case ethical approval.

Ethics Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology

The Ethics Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ECART) is a ministerial committee established under section 27 of the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology (HART) Act 2004. ECART reviews, determines, and monitors applications for assisted reproductive procedures and human reproductive research.

Health and Disability Ethics Committees (HDEC)

Aotearoa New Zealand has four HDECs: Northern A, Northern B, Central and Southern, established under section 87 of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 which provide independent ethical review of health and disability research to safeguard the rights, health and well-being of consumers and research participants, in particular those with diminished autonomy.

National Ethics Advisory Committee | Kāhui Matatika o te Motu

The National Ethics Advisory Committee (NEAC) is a ministerial advisory committee under section 92 of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022. Its purpose is to provide the Minister of Health with advice on ethical issues of national significance in respect of any health and disability matter (including research and health services), determine nationally consistent ethical standards across the health sector, and provide scrutiny for national health research and health services.

Crown entities

Health and Disability Commissioner

The Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) is an independent Crown entity for the purposes of the Crown Entities Act 2004. The HDC is established by the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 and is responsible for promoting and protecting the rights of consumers as set out in the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights.

Health Research Council of New Zealand | Te Kaunihera Rangahau Hauora o Aotearoa

The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) is a Crown agent for the purposes of the Crown Entities Act 2004. HRC is established under the Health Research Council Act 1990 and is responsible for the allocation of the government’s investment in health research. HRC’s role includes advising the Minister of Health on national health research policy, administering funds, encouraging and initiating health research, and disseminating the findings of health research.

New Zealand Blood and Organ Service | Te Ratonga Tata o Aotearoa

The New Zealand Blood and Organ Service (also known as the New Zealand Blood Service or NZBS) is a Crown agent for the purposes of the Crown Entities Act 2004. NZBS is established under the Organ Donors and Related Matters Act 2019 and is responsible for ensuring the supply of safe blood products. NZBS is responsible for the development of an integrated national blood transfusion process, from the collection of blood from volunteer donors to provision of blood products within the hospital environment. NZBS also works with health professionals to ensure that processes for deceased organ donation are nationally consistent and meet the highest medical, ethical and legal standards.

Pharmac | Te Pātaka Whaioranga

Pharmac is a Crown entity for the purposes of section 7 of the Crown Entities Act 2004. Pharmac was established under the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 and is continued under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022. Pharmac’s objectives are to ensure for eligible people in need of pharmaceuticals, the best health outcomes that are reasonably achievable from pharmaceutical treatment from within the amount of funding provided.

Te Aka Whai Ora – Māori Health Authority

Te Aka Whai Ora – Māori Health Authority is an independent statutory entity and is established under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022. Its purpose is to ensure that health planning and service delivery respond to the aspirations and the needs of Māori, and to design and deliver services to achieve this purpose. It also promotes Māori health and early intervention to improve health outcomes for Māori.

Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission

Te Hiringa Mahara is an independent Crown entity for the purposes of section 7 of the Crown Entities Act 2004. Te Hiringa Mahara is established under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Act 2020 and its objective is to provide system-level oversight of mental health and wellbeing in New Zealand to contribute to better and equitable mental health and wellbeing outcomes for New Zealanders.

Te Tāhū Hauora | Health Quality & Safety Commission

Te Tāhū Hauora is a Crown entity for the purposes of section 7 of the Crown Entities Act 2004. Te Tāhū Hauora was established under the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 is continued under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022. The objectives of Te Tāhū Hauora include leading and coordinating work across the health and disability sector for the purposes of monitoring and improving the quality and safety of health and disability support services.

Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand

Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand is a Crown agent for the purposes of section 7 of the Crown Entities Act 2004. Te Whatu Ora is established under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022. Its purpose is to design, arrange and deliver health services to achieve Pae Ora, to encourage community participation in service improvement and planning and to encourage health promotion and early intervention to improve outcomes for all New Zealanders.

Responsible authorities and Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal

There are 18 independent statutory authorities operating under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act). Each authority’s purpose is to protect the health and safety of members of the public by providing mechanisms to ensure that health practitioners are competent and fit to practise their professions.

They work to define the professions scope of practice, prescribe necessary qualifications, register practitioners, and issue annual practising certificates. Authorities also set standards of competence (including cultural competence) and ethical conduct, and have the authority to investigate a practitioner’s fitness, competence, and conduct.

All responsible authorities are funded entirely by their profession and have their own staff and premises. While the Minister of Health has the power of audit and appoint members, the authorities have autonomy in decision making. Each authority must provide an Annual Report to the Minister of Health every year and can be subject to performance reviews as seen fit.

Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal | Taraipuinara Whakatika Kaimahi Hauora

The Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (HPDT) is established under section 84 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. HPDT holds disciplinary hearings for health practitioners that are referred by responsible authorities’ complaints assessment committees or the Health and Disability Commissioner.

Medsafe committees

Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee

The Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee advises the Minister of Health on the safety of approved medicines.

Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee

The Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee advises the Minister of Health on the benefits and risks of new medicines.

Medicines Classification Committee

The Medicines Classification Committee makes recommendations to the Minister of Health on the classifications of medicines.

Medicines Review Committee

The Medicines Review Committee makes inquiries into any objection to the terms of a recommendation made under section 22(2) of the Medicines Act 1981 and reports its findings to the Minister of Health, and hear appeals under section 88 of the Act.

Other committees

End of Life Choice Review Committee

The End of Life Choice Review Committee considers assisted death reports sent to it under the provisions of the End of Life Choice Act 2019 (the EOLC Act). The EOLC Act gives people who experience unbearable suffering from a terminal illness the ability to legally ask for medical assistance to end their lives.

Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs

The Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs is established by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 to provide expert advice to the Minister of Health on drug classification issues.

Hauora Māori Advisory Committee

Established under section 89 of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, the purpose of the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee (the Committee) is to provide advice to the Minister of Health on Te Aka Whai Ora Board appointments, performance, and any other advice that the Minister may request. The Committee serves as an important part of the health system reforms and Te Aka Whai Ora Board’s accountability settings by providing Iwi and Māori representation in the exercise of ministerial powers.

Health Workforce Advisory Board

The Health Workforce Advisory Board (HWAB) is a ministerial committee for the purposes of section 87 of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 and was established to provide advice to the Minister of Health on health workforce matters, including strategic direction, emerging issues and risks.

Mental Health Review Tribunal

The Mental Health Review Tribunal (the Tribunal) was established under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 (Mental Health Act). Its primary function is to consider whether patients subject to compulsory treatment orders are mentally disordered, as defined by the Mental Health Act, and make recommendations to the Attorney-General or Minister of Health regarding whether special patients (who have come to hospital through the criminal justice system) should remain special patients. The Tribunal is made up of a lawyer, a psychiatrist and a community member. There are also about a dozen deputy members.

Ministerial Advisory Committee on health reform implementation

The Ministerial Advisory Committee was established in September 2022 under section 87 of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 to provide independent advice to Ministers on the continued implementation of the health reforms beyond Day 1 of the new health system, and advise on the delivery, benefits and any risk for the first two years of reform.

National Cervical Screening Programme Review Committee

As per section 112O of Part 4A of the Health Act 1956, a Review Committee is established at least once every three years to review the operation of the National Cervical Screening Programme and the evaluation activities that have been carried out or are proposed to be carried out. The focus of the Committee is the continuous quality improvement of components of the National Cervical Screening Programme, with a view to reducing the incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer.

National Kaitiaki Group

The National Kaitiaki Group considers applications, under the Health (Cervical Screening (Kaitiaki)) Regulations 1995, for approval to disclose, use, or publish ‘protected information’, and to grant approval for such disclosure, use or publication in appropriate cases. ‘Protected information’ is information that is on or from the National Cervical Screening Programme Register that identifies the woman or women to whom the information relates as being Māori.

Psychoactive Substances Appeals Committee

The Psychoactive Substances Appeals Committee is established under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013. The Committee hears appeals against decisions made by the Psychoactive Substances Regulatory Authority.

Psychoactive Substances Expert Advisory Committee

The Psychoactive Substances Expert Advisory Committee is established under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013. The Committee provides expert advice to the Psychoactive Substances Regulatory Authority about safety issues with proposed psychoactive products.

Public Health Advisory Committee

The Public Health Advisory Committee is a statutory committee established under section 93 of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022. Its purpose is to provide independent advice to the Minister, the Public Health Agency, Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand and Te Aka Whai Ora – Māori Health Authority on public health issues, the promotion of public health and any other specified matters.

Radiation Safety Advisory Council

The Radiation Safety Advisory Council is established under section 80 of the Radiation Safety Act 2016 to provide advice to the Minister of Health and the Director for Radiation Safety on the adoption of policies, codes of practice, and recommendations on standards relating to radiation safety.

Regulated Products Appeals Committee

The Regulated Products Appeals Committee, established under section 79 of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990, is responsible for determining appeals against decisions of the Director-General of Health to cancel or suspend a product notification for a notifiable product (vaping or smokeless tobacco product).

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