NGO Health and Disability Network Annual Report:1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014

1. Background

The NGO Health & Disability Network (formerly the Health and Disability NGO Working Group) has partnered with the Ministry of Health since 2002to implement the Framework for Relations between the Ministry and Health and Disability NGOs.

The Framework identifies key areas where working togethercan strengthen the relationship with non-government organisations (NGOs.) These include communication, consultation and capacity/capability building.

Thirteen elected members on the NGO Council have responsibility for the ‘executive’ function, and are appointed for two-year terms. This annual report is from the NGO Council.

2. Overview from the Chair: Collective strength and connections

Your NGO Council began the year with an annual Work Plan designed to help focus our activity and start to deliver on the Vision and Outcomes identified in our strategic planning session.

VISION: Health and disability NGOs are meaningful partners with the Ministry of Health and other government agencies in system-level policy development,
planning and delivery of health and disability services in New Zealand.

PURPOSE:As an outcome of our collective impact with the Ministry of Health (and other government agencies) we will improve the effectiveness of health and disability NGOs’ services and achieve better health outcomes for all people in New Zealand.

OUTCOMES 2013-2016

NGOs are sought/engaged in/contribute to strategic and operational matters concerning the Ministry of Health and NGOs’ development and service delivery.

NGO voices are involved in policy development.

A coherent and connected NGO sector, which represents a fundamental element of health and disability services funded in New Zealand, has the building of community capacity and capability as a priority.

There is cross-government engagement with the health and disability NGO sector at all levels, not just at the ‘coal face’.

Relationships based upon courtesy, respect, integrity, transparency and trust are the experience of all people engaged with the health and disability sector.

The Work Plan helped ensure we work in an accountable way for the sector and you can see a report on the 2013-14 Work Plan on our website.A highlight of the year was our free Good Governance workshops. Theseclearly met a need,withmore than 150 board members from over 85 NGOs attending five workshops. We have recently developed a new Work Plan for the year ahead, which we hope will build on the past year’s achievements.

As we look ahead to the forthcoming NGO Councilelections in October 2014, I encourage more of you to use your vote to influence our activities and who represents your sector views.

Kathryn Jones
Chair of the NGO Health & Disability Council

3. Key activities

During the year, theNGO Council:

  • held a successful 18th Ministry of Health NGO National Forumfor 280 people in Wellington to showcase the NGO sector.
  • funded four projects (Good Governance, Secondments, Vulnerable Children and phase 2 of NZ Navigator) to strengthen sector capability.
  • collated sector feedback for the National IT Board and made submissions on issues such as theVulnerable Children Billand National Drug Policy.
  • shared the views and experiences of the health and disability NGO sector with various personnel from different parts of the Ministry of Health.
  • achieved a significant increase in Network membership.
  • delivered information and guidance to Network members on a variety of topics, including input to planning, DHB representation, contracting and consultations.
  • providedregular updates to the website and shared relevant news with the sector via Twitter and Facebook.

4. Formal relationship with the Ministry of Health

In August 2013, the Director-General of Health re-affirmedthe Relationship Frameworkwith the NGO sector – confirming the ongoing relevance of this 2002 document.

The current two-year Letter of Agreement between the Ministry of Health and the NGO Councilruns to 31 August 2014. A new agreement will be based on the MBIE template developed to support the streamlined contracting initiative.

The current letter specifies Services comprising three parts:

  • the secretariat function for the NGO Council
  • facilitating and organising the NGO forums with the Ministry’s NGO Relationship Manager
  • project work to be agreed with the Ministry as and when required.

The Ministry’s NGO Desk is responsible for the regular communications to the sector via the newsletter, and liaison between the NGO Council and the Minister and the Ministry.

5. Network membership

The NGO Health & Disability Network grew to 405 full members and 35 affiliates by 30 June 2014[1]. This represented a significant increase from the previous June, when membership was 272 full members and 7affiliates. The membership growth resulted from the NGO Council working with the Ministry of Health to identify Vote Health-funded non-profit NGOs, which enabled the NGO Secretariat to target potential new members directly and strengthen our mandate.

NGOs that receive Vote Health funding (i.e. have contracts with the Ministry of Health and/or DHBs) can register in a maximum of two categories, and are registered to vote as follows:

174 in Disability Support Services91 in Māori Health

 126 in Mental Health and Addictions78 in Personal Health

91 in Public Health20 in Pacific Health

Ninety-seven percent of Network members are registered charities. Based on data from the Charities Register[2], we know the following about our 405 Network members:

  • At least 30% are incorporated societies so will be affected by the proposed Incorporated Societies Act reform due to commence in 2015. These changes will come on top of the new Accounting Standards for Not-for-Profit Entities, which take effect from 1 April 2015 and will affect virtually all our members.
  • Member NGOs received $1.087 billion in combined annual government funding.
  • 44 member NGOs receivedover $46 million in bequests.
  • 221 member NGOs received over $78 million in donations/koha.
  • 215 member NGOs received over $49.5 million in other grants and sponsorship.
  • Member NGOs paid more than $1 billion in annual salaries and wages to 13,900 full-time staff and 13,057 part-time staff.
  • In an average week, a total of 779,671 hours were worked by paid staff and 137,219hours provided by over 29,000unpaid volunteers.
  • 30% of member NGOs had a net annual operating deficit in their last reported financial year, so had to draw on reserves to continue delivering services.

The activities of the NGO Network extend far beyond the voting membership as many non-members attend Forums and workshops and provide feedback via Network projects and surveys.

The DIA Charities website shows 1,993 registered charities identify their main sector as health (7.3% of all charities in NZ) and 922 registered charities are focused on working with people with disabilities. The Non-Profit Institutions Satellite Account: 2004 published by Statistics NZ[3] identified 2,210 health sector non-profits. Current Ministry of Health figures appear to indicate only around one quarter of these are Vote Health funded, however we will continue to engage new members to strengthen our collective voice in discussions with the Ministry and other key stakeholders.

6. NGO Council elections

Two hundred and eighty-eighthealth and disability NGOs were registered to participate in the annual elections of Council members in October 2013.

NGO Council members Barb Long and Rob Warriner’s terms ended in October 2013 and they stood down from the Council.

  • A total of 15 individuals were nominated for six vacancies on the Council.
  • Key Frost and Eleni Mason were re-appointed as Pacific Health reps as a third candidate withdrew their nomination, which meant an election was not necessary in this category.
  • Marion Blake of Platform Trust was elected and Shaun McNeil re-elected as Mental Health and Addictions representatives.
  • Sarah Mulcahy of Plunket was elected as a Personal Health representative.
  • Donna Matahaere-Atariki was re-elected as a Māori Health representative.
  • Judi Clements resigned in December 2013 and Warren Lindberg, CEO of the Public Health Association was co-opted to replace her as a Public Health representativeuntil the next election.
  • Voter participation in 2013 was as follows
  • 58 of the 94 eligible Mental Health & Addictions voters cast a vote (N/A in 2012)
  • 34 of the 65 eligible Personal Health voters cast a vote (up from 18 in 2012)
  • 22 of the 52 eligible Maori Health voters cast a vote (slightly up from 21 in 2012).

7. National Forum 2014: Showcasing our Sector

Sixty Ministry of Health staff were among the 280 attendees at the Ministry of Health NGO Health and Disability Sector National Forum on Friday 14 March 2014. This represented a significant increase in Ministry Engagement since 2012 (15 attendees) and 2013 (51 attendees). They were joined by 220 people from 150 different organisations, but only five DHBs were represented. Despite this lack of DHB engagement, the Forum provided an excellent opportunity for the sharing of ideas and experience – particularly through the six Snapshots of Success presentations by NGOs:

  • Effective advocacy: The tobacco story – Dr Prudence Stone, Smokefree Coalition
  • Seeking direction and a voice from Māori – Belinda Burnett & Patience Stirling (Piri Toto), Haemophilia Foundation of NZ Inc.
  • Future-proofing clinical services – Jackie Edmond, Family Planning
  • Using the Navigator model effectively – Noel Matthews & Rosalie Eilering, NorthAble Disability Services
  • Business excellence in a not-for-profit
    – Karen Covell,
    Progress to Health
  • Making money and diversifying income with
    the skills you have
    – Richard Coad, Switched On.

A common thread in all these presentations, was the importance of working in partnership – at all kinds of levels – with other NGOs/community groups, government, family, community, whanau, iwi and hapu. Consequently, evaluation responses showed the important value attendees placed on networking at the Forum. Other key themes from the day were about building resources, diversity and the importance of good leadership within the sector.

The Forum programme helped attendees to lift their gaze from the day-to-day detail and keep an eye on the big picture. One delegate described this in their evaluation as: “time out for thinking and considering, hearing about different ways of working.”

Afternoon discussion sessions covered eight different topics concurrently:

  • Public health service specifications and proposed changes
  • Vulnerable Children’s Bill and the Children’s Action Plan
  • How better information/IT enables a more joined-up service model
  • Working effectively with District Health Boards
  • The role of Whānau Ora Navigators
  • Creating networks to have influence – what works and why?
  • Implementing a social investment approach
  • Lessons from the independent review of Disability Support Services.

The interest in theafternoon discussionsindicated these were clearly all topics that resonated with attendees, but there is a need to explore further constructive opportunities to engage with the Ministry and other government agencies in the future. Similarly, there is a desire for more meaningful engagement with DHBs.

One delegate’s comment summed up the engagement this way: “despite the differences on the surface and the negotiations on what would be better for the future; it was a united group of people working for the same purpose in mind: improving quality for a better New Zealand.”

The Forum Programme and most presentations are on the NGO Network’s website and video of some of the sessions is also online.

8. Project workstreams

Project funding was allocated to four key areas, with some projects yet to be fully implemented.

  • Governance of NGOs
    More than 150 board members from approx 85 NGOsattended five workshops in February 2013 in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. The success of these led to Council allocating additional funds for a sixth workshop to be held in Hastings in July 2014.
  • The Vulnerable children project aims to help increase NGO capability to manage issues related to Vulnerable Children Act. Sample Child Protection Policieswere shared on the website in June, with further work to follow.
  • Secondmentsto the NGO sector have potential to benefit both the sector and government, so this project aims to build on the DIA Community Internship Programmeand maximise opportunities for knowledge-sharing.
  • In April 2014, Council approved funding for phase 2 development of the NZ Navigatoronline self-assessment tool.

9. NGO Councilmembers’meeting attendance

In the period from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014, the NGO Council held six face-to-face meetings. NGO Council members attended as shown below.

Representative / Sector Represented / Meetings eligible / Meetings attended / Appointment
Status
Clare Teague / Disability Support Services / 6 / 5 / Elected Oct 2012
Mark Brown / Disability Support Services / 6 / 4 / Elected Oct 2012
Carole Maraku / Māori Health / 6 / 3 / Re-elected Oct 2012
Christine Maxwell / Māori Health / 6 / 1 / Elected March 2012
Donna Matahaere-Atariki (Vice-Chair) / Māori Health / 6 / 4 / Re-elected Oct 2013
Marion Blake / Mental Health& Addictions / 4 / 3 / Elected Oct 2013
Rob Warriner / Mental Health& Addictions / 2 / 2 / Resigned Oct 2013
Shaun McNeil / Mental Health& Addictions / 6 / 4 / Re-elected Oct 2013
Eleni Mason / Pacific Health / 6 / 3 / Re-elected Oct 2013
Key Frost / Pacific Health / 6 / 3 / Re-elected Oct 2013 (resigned Aug 2014)
Barb Long / Personal Health / 2 / 2 / Resigned Oct 2013
Kathryn Jones (Chair) / Personal Health / 6 / 5 / Elected Oct 2012
Sarah Mulcahy / Personal Health / 4 / 3 / Elected Oct 2013
Judi Clements / Public Health / 3 / 2 / Resigned Dec 2013
SioneTu’itahi / Public Health / 6 / 4 / Elected Oct 2012
Warren Lindberg / Public Health / 3 / 1 / Seconded Jan 2014

10. NGO Council meetings

In addition to project work, key topics covered in NGO Council meetings included:

  • The Disability Support Services Pricing Model Review.
  • The article in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that forbids liberty being taken away because of a disability – particularly in relation to detaining people with mental health issues who are not a danger to themselves or others.
  • The broad range of social investment opportunities, beyond the social bonds model.
  • The lack of NGO knowledge and experience on DHB boards and other relevant statutory bodies.

The Ministry of Health’s Caroline Speight (NGO Relationship Manager), Mark Powell (Group Manager – Contract and Information Support, National Health Board) and Jill Lane (Director, National Services Purchasing, National Health Board at the Ministry of Health) attend meetings as their schedules allow.

Meeting guests included:

  • National Health Board, National Director Chai Chuah and the Council discussed government and Ministry priorities via videoconference in July to inform the Council’s planning.
  • Chai and Yvonne Broughton (Chief Advisor Employment Relations, DHB Performance) met with the Council in August to discuss proposed vulnerable children workforce safety checks.
  • Kathryn Karantze-Young (Manager Procurement & Contracts team, Finance), Jo Bryan (Manager Planning and Performance Reporting, MoH) and Jacob White (Senior Analyst Accountability, DHB Relations and Accountability, DHB Performance, National Health Board, MoH) attended the October NGO Council meeting to talk about the Ministry's and DHBs’ planning processes and opportunities for the NGO sector to have greater influence and input to these.
  • Phillipa Gaines (Platform Trust) previewed the NZ Navigator online self-assessment tool for the NGO Council in October.
  • Adrienne Percy (Programme Manager, MoH) met with the Council in October and November to talk about the Streamlined Contract project.
  • Mike McCarthy (MoH Chief Financial Officer) met with the Council in April to discusscontracting and procurement improvements taking place across government.
  • In June,Ruth Heather (National Programme Manager, Children's Action Plan, Community Health Service Improvement, Sector Capability & Implementation, MoH)and Gary Tonkin (National Programme Manager, Sector Capability Implementation, Community Health Service Improvement/Child & Family Programmes, MoH)discussed ways NGOs can support work of regional Children’s Teams
  • Matthew Bloomer (Policy Analyst, Strategic Priorities, Strategy, Policy, MoH) and Sara McFall (Principal Policy Analyst, Sector & Services Policy/Sector and Services Transformation Policy Team, Policy, MoH)sought feedback from the NGO Council in June on high level strategic issues to help influence future planning and decision-making

The NGO Council shared insights from meetings with Network members via the Chair’s regular Updates.

11. Key representations and other activities

Outside of meetings and projects, the NGO Council endeavours to progress issues and promote the views of the wider health and disability NGO sector. It also encourages the wider sector to contribute directly by making formal submissions and participating in sector initiatives.

Activity included:

  • NGO Council Chair surveyed members about levels of engagement with National IT Board programmes and presented findings to the National IT Board in September.
  • Council Chair met with Stephanie Fletcher of the NHITB Consumer Panel in September and Andrew Terris of Patients First in November.
  • The NGO Council Chair shared some of the issues and concerns of local NGOs at the Canterbury Health System Workforce Planning Establishment meeting organised by CERA and the Canterbury DHB.
  • Some NGO Council members participated in July discussions with Gareth Jones (Project Manager, Procurement Optimisation Programme) prior to his recommendations being presented to the Ministry of Health.
  • Two NGO Council members and other NGO stakeholders attended Health Workforce NZ’s Vulnerable Children Bill NGO/DSS Sector Engagement Meeting in September and relevant NGO names were provided to organisers for a Children’s Action Plan meeting in January.
  • In response to a request from Chai Chuah, the Council recommended two NGO secondees for the Children’s Action Plandirectorate based in the Ministry of Social Development in December 2013.One subsequent secondment proceeded in 2014.
  • Chair’s Updates highlighted MSD and TePou funding to assist NGOs with capability building and DIA’s Community Internship Programme.
  • The NGO Council wrote to the Minister of Health highlighting the value of NGO knowledge and experience in DHB appointments and NGO Council Updates provided information about the appointment and election processes for representation on District Health Boards and other statutory bodies,as this is an area Council believes would benefit from stronger NGO input.
  • The Council Chair met with the Disability CEO Forum in Wellington in August to talk about proposed projects – attendees also discussed regional/national body differences (e.g. national NGOs seem to find it easier to get Board members).

Consultations and submissions