Purpose of the GPS
The Government Policy Statement on Health (GPS) is a document that sets out the Government’s priorities, objectives and expectations for the health system over the next three years.
The GPS is a key accountability document required by the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022. It builds from the Pae Ora Health Strategies.
The GPS sets parameters for the New Zealand Health Plan, a three-year costed plan developed by Health New Zealand for the delivery of publicly funded health services.
The GPS contains the Government’s priorities for improving health outcomes for all New Zealanders, including with those with the highest needs (Māori, Pacific peoples, disabled people, women, and people living rurally).
Vision
The long-term vision for the health system is to achieve longer life expectancy and improved quality of life for all New Zealanders.
The three-year focus for the health system will be to ensure timely access to quality health care. Workforce and infrastructure are key to making improvements.
The commitment and focus on improving access and timeliness are reinforced in the health targets and mental health targets.
GPS Priorities
The GPS sets out five priorities for the health system.
Priority 1: Access
Every person, regardless of where they live in New Zealand, has equitable access to the health care and services they need.
Goals for the next three years are:
1.1 Improve access to and choice of primary and community health care services and diversify the points of entry and support.
1.2 Develop models of care to better meet people’s needs closer to home.
1.3 Increase access to online health services (and improve access to communication, information and transport and accommodation assistance.
1.4 Improve cancer screening.
1.5 Faster access to medicines and pharmaceuticals.
Priority 2: Timeliness
People can access the health care and services they need in a prompt and efficient way.
Goals for the next three years are:
2.1 Reduce waiting times for appointments, operations, and emergency care.
2.2 Faster access to primary and community health care services.
2.3 Improve cancer management.
Priority 3: Quality
Health care and services delivered in New Zealand are safe, easy to navigate, understandable and welcoming to users, and are continuously improving.
Goals for the next three years are:
3.1 Benchmark and monitor quality of care.
3.2 Enable the use and generation of evidence, information, research and evaluation across the health system by using implementation science principles and concepts.
3.3 Enhance processes for quality improvement and strengthen the handling of quality concerns.
Priority 4: Workforce
The health workforce should be available and accessible, and responsive to the range and complexity of health needs. The workforce has the development opportunities that they require for productivity and delivering quality care across all populations.
Goals for the next three years are:
4.1 Improve training pathways and develop a more culturally safe and competent workforce.
4.2 Strengthen health system leadership locally, regionally and nationally.
4.3 Retain, value, and recognise the workforce.
4.4 Recruit for workforce gaps.
Priority 5: Infrastructure
The system is resilient and has the digital and physical infrastructure it needs to meet people’s needs now and into the future.
Goals for the next three years are:
5.1 Long-term national planning.
5.2 Committed funding with competent delivery.
5.3 Enable evidence-based digital solutions.
How the GPS priorities will be achieved
The GPS priorities will be achieved through:
Action on five non-communicable diseases (cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, and poor mental health) and five modifiable risk factors (alcohol, tobacco, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, adverse social and environmental factors).
A strengthened focus on prevention and early intervention, financial sustainability, health outcomes in high need populations and partnering to address health determinants.
Health Targets
The Government has identified five health targets and five mental health and addiction targets to accelerate action.
The five health targets are:
Faster cancer treatment – 90% of patients to receive cancer management within 31 days of the decision to treat.
Improved immunisation for children – 95% of children to be fully immunised at 24 months of age.
Shorter stays in emergency departments – 95% of patients to be admitted, discharged, or transferred from an emergency department within six hours.
Shorter wait times for first specialist assessment – 95% of patients to wait less than four months for a first specialist assessment.
Shorter wait times for treatment – 95% of patients to wait less than four months for elective treatment.
The five mental health and addiction targets are:
Faster access to specialist mental health and addiction services – 80% of people accessing specialist mental health and addiction services are seen within three weeks.
Faster access to primary mental health and addiction services – 80% of people accessing primary mental health and addiction services through the Access and Choice programme are seen within one week.
Shorter mental health and addiction-related stays in emergency departments – 95% of mental health and addiction-related emergency department presentations are admitted, discharged, or transferred from an emergency department within six hours.
Increased mental health and addiction workforce development – train 500 mental health and addiction professionals each year.
Strengthened focus on prevention and early intervention – 25% of mental health and addiction investment is allocated towards prevention and early intervention.
The full version of the Government Policy Statement on Health can be found here:
