New Zealand Pandemic Plan: A framework for action

This version of the New Zealand Pandemic Plan updates the New Zealand Influenza Pandemic Plan: A framework for action (Ministry of Health 2017).

The interim update was completed at pace, is limited in scope, and reflects changes to how the health system is run since the 2022 reforms and some of the early lessons from the COVID-19 response.

The update is part of a wider review of pandemic preparedness taking place in two stages. This two-stage approach means the interim plan can reflect the changes in who does what in the health system since the 2022 health reforms and ensure those changed roles and responsibilities are clear if a new pandemic was to occur tomorrow. It focuses on on goals, principles, key considerations and high-level roles and responsibilities.

Key changes include:

• Broadening the scope to cover respiratory-type pathogens of pandemic potential.
• Ensuring it is consistent with recent legislative changes, notably the 2022 health reforms.
• Reflecting Heath New Zealand’s role in leading the operational health response, the Ministry of Health’s role in providing strategic and policy advice.
• Embedding some early lessons learnt from COVID-19 response, including the process for doing regular public health risk assessments and adopting a flexible testing approach.

The updated pandemic plan covers the health system response. It does not cover the all-of-government or wider societal response to a pandemic. It is also only one tool for developing the health system’s preparedness and complements preparedness work across health services and wider society.