About us Mō mātou

About the Ministry of Health and the New Zealand health system. 

Regulation & legislation Ngā here me ngā ture

Health providers and products we regulate, and laws we administer.

Strategies & initiatives He rautaki, he tūmahi hou

How we’re working to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders.

Māori health Hauora Māori

Increasing access to health services, achieving equity and improving outcomes for Māori.

Statistics & research He tatauranga, he rangahau

Data and insights from our health surveys, research and monitoring.

Displaying 1 - 15 of 1205 results
  • Whooping cough epidemic declared across Aotearoa New Zealand 

    Publication date:

    Health agencies have confirmed today that Aotearoa New Zealand is now in the early stages of a whooping cough epidemic, with a nationally coordinated response now in place. 

    • Media release
    • Notifiable diseases
    • Public health
  • Additional safeguards for puberty blockers

    Publication date:

    The Ministry of Health is today releasing an evidence brief and position statement on the use of puberty blockers for gender identity issues and outlining a more cautious approach to their use.

    • Media release
    • Gender-affirming care
    • Youth health
    • Medicine issues
  • Emergency COVID-19 response legislation ends

    Publication date:

    The COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 will self-repeal on 26 November, marking the end to the potential use of COVID-19 specific legal tools to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    • News article
    • COVID-19
    • Public health
  • Apology for abuse suffered in state care

    Publication date:

    Today the Director-General of Health, Dr Diana Sarfati, alongside the Government, and other Chief Executives will apologise for the abuse suffered in state care between 1950-1999. 

    • News article
    • About the Ministry
    • Health system
  • Unlocking the potential of active ageing

    Publication date:

    The Ministry of Health is now inviting New Zealanders to share their views on its latest Long-term Insights Briefing topic, ‘Unlocking the Potential of Active Ageing’ which looks at the challenges we face with an ageing population.

    • News article
    • Older people (65+)
  • Upcoming changes to Smokefree laws

    Publication date:

    The Government is working on changes to the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 to make vaping products less appealing and less available to people under the age of 18 years.

    • Programme update
    • Vaping
    • Smokefree law
  • MedSafety Week a reminder to use medicines as directed

    Publication date:

    “This MedSafety Week, we want to emphasise the importance of taking medicines as directed to reduce the risk of side effects,” Medsafe Group Manager Chris James says.

    • News article
    • Medicines control
  • Notice of the Office of Radiation Safety Christmas holiday closedown 2024/2025

    Publication date:

    The Office of Radiation Safety will be closed for the holiday period from the end of the day, Monday 23 December 2024 and re-open on Wednesday 8 January 2025. In the case of a radiation emergency, where people or the environment may be harmed, please call: 021 393 632 immediately.

    • Programme update
    • Radiation safety
  • Ministry prosecutes unregistered doctor

    Publication date:

    Former eye surgeon, Dr Philip Macdonald, was sentenced in the Napier District Court last week for continuing to practise after he voluntarily deregistered from the New Zealand Medical Council.

    • News article
    • Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act
  • New plan outlines adaptation to the health impacts of climate change

    Publication date:

    The Public Health Agency, within the Ministry of Health, has published New Zealand’s first Health National Adaptation Plan, establishing a new foundation for building climate resilience within our health system and beyond.

    • News article
    • Environmental health
    • Public health
  • Mental Health Bill introduced to the House

    Publication date:

    The new Mental Health Bill has been introduced and is now publicly available. The Mental Health Bill will repeal the current Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, which is more than thirty years old and no longer fit for purpose.  

    • News article
    • Mental health
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