The final report of the Health and Disability System Review chaired by Heather Simpson has recommended a massive restructure of health service provision in New Zealand, including the establishment of a new Health NZ agency responsible for operational health delivery including implementation of digital and data policy, nationally standardised datasets and interoperability standards.
It also calls for the restructure of health service provision with the number of district health boards (DHBs) reduced from 20 to between eight and 12, with board members directly appointed rather than elected, the removal of the requirement to commission primary care services through primary health organisations (PHOs), and a locality-based approach that would see DHBs responsible for primary, community and aged care as well as acute care.
