On Thursday 3 May the NGO Working Group Met in Wellington
Health and Disability NGO email update for May 2012
Greetings,
On Thursday 3 May the NGO Working Group met in Wellington.
The NGO Desk’s latest update includes information about Ministry of Health and NGO activities, a wide range of up and coming conference and event information and other items of interest to the health and disability NGO sector.
This update provides an opportunity to share information with others in the sector and around the Ministry of Health. If you have any comments or information you would like as part of future updates, please email me at and I will be happy to include relevant items.
Getaway Kits for When the Earth Moves
Civil Defence says everyone should have a packed getaway kit in an easily accessible place at home and at work sothey’re ready for any emergency. The kit should include:
- torch and radio with spare batteries;
- any special needs such as hearing aids and spare batteries, glasses or mobility aids;
- emergency water and easy-to-carry food rations such as energy bars and dried foods in case there are delays in reaching a place where you might find support (if you have any special dietary requirements, ensure you have extra supplies);
- first aid kit and essential medicines;
- essential items for infants or young children such as formula and food, nappies and a favourite toy;
- change of clothes (wind/waterproof clothing and strong outdoor shoes);
- toiletries – towel, soap, toothbrush, sanitary items, toilet paper;
- blankets or sleeping bags;
- face and dust masks;
- pet supplies; and
- important documents: identification (birth and marriage certificates, driver’s licences and passports), financial
- documents (e.g., insurance policies and mortgage information), and precious family photos.
More information is at
Kind regards,
Caroline Speight
NGO Relationship Manager
Ministry of Health
For information about the NGO Working Group download the brochure Understanding what we do and how you can get involved or check out our website at
Previous issues of the NGO email update are available on the NGO Working Group website - NGO email updates.
Table of Contents
Getaway Kits for When the Earth Moves
Health & Disability NGO Working Group – Update from the Chair – May 2012
National Forum
Addressing sector issues
Public Health engagement workshops
‘Like us’ on Facebook
MINISTRY OF HEALTH INFORMATION
Ministry of Health media releases
The Ministry’s structure and business units
National Health Board
IT Health Board
Health Workforce New Zealand
Workforce Innovation website
HWNZ Stakeholder Bulletin April 2012
National Screening Unit
New Ministry of Health publications (since the last update)
OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
Office for Disability Issues
Privacy Sharing in National Emergencies
Charities Commission
External Reporting Board - Accounting standards framework approved
MINISTERS’ MEDIA RELEASES
Media Releases and speeches
NGO INFORMATION
Succeeding together: Fostering a culture of consumer engagement
2nd National Disability Conference.
Volunteer Awareness Week, 17-23 June 2012
The Annual Wellington Post-Budget Breakfast - 2012 Budget Analysis:
How do children fare?
IHC Hot Issues – April 2012
National Civil Defence exercise - Operation Shake Out planned for September!
New Standards for Palliative Care
New Consumers Voice Website
Community Sector Taskforce
Not-For-Profit News (Australia)
Volunteering NZ
Policy Watch
FUNDING, FELLOWSHIPS, AWARD OPPORTUNITIES
Helping Disabled People into Self-employment
TRAINING, EDUCATION, RESOURCES AND CONFERENCES
Seminar “Auditing and assurance for larger registered charities: changes ahead”
Safety 2012: 11th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion
Disability Workforce Development within Te Pou, Apply for open round training grants now
Disability training directory now live.
CommunityNet Aotearoa
Development e-newsletter (Te Pou):
Important notice
Health & Disability NGO Working Group – Update from the Chair – May 2012
At our May meeting, the Health and Disability Working Group welcomed our new Māori Health representative, Christine Maxwell from Nga Ngaru Hauora o Aotearoa in Dunedin. Christine was elected from a field of eight candidates, so it was great to have such a high level of interest in this role. Elections for other vacancies will take place in October this year, so please start thinking about whether you might want to nominate someone from your community organisation to join the 13 person representative body.
National Forum
Many of you attended our National Forum in Wellington on 29 March 2012, and we’ve received a lot of positive feedback about the event, despite the challenges of the venue and large crowd. Thanks to everyone who came and to those of you who commented via the online survey – your ideas and suggestions will help us plan future forums. Presentations and a report on the forum are available on the website.
Many valuable contacts were made throughout the day and it is important to continue these conversations and exploration of ways to do things differently. We thank all our speakers for their contributions and note specifically the invitation from Associate Minister of Health Jo Goodhew, who encouraged NGOs to share ideas on how to break down barriers that are limiting our effectiveness.
Addressing sector issues
On 17 May, Working Group member Rob Warriner and I will attend part of the Midland General Managers Planning and Funding meeting in Hamilton. This invitation resulted from letters we sent to DHBs and PHOs following distribution of our report on ‘How NGOs make a difference to health care in the community’. We look forward to the opportunity to discuss key issues with managers from the five DHBs in the Midlands region and hope this is the first of many such meetings.
The above report on primary health helped to focus us on five key issues that we believe will make a huge difference to the effectiveness and efficiency of the health and disability NGO sector, as well as strengthen the robustness of sector planning. We have raised these issues with key Ministry of Health managers, DHBs and PHOs, and will continue to do what we can to progress these matters, as we believe significant efficiency gains will result from improvements in these areas.
The five key issues are:
- Elimination of multiple audits
Unnecessary duplication of auditing processes has long been recognised by the sector, the Ministry of Health and Treasury as a drain on public resources. We believe significant cost-savings for the Ministry, DHBs and NGOs could be made through active sharing of audit results – money could then be directed back into the health sector instead of being diverted to the audit industry.
- Duplication of services
We are keen to explore ways to avoid DHBs and PHOs setting-up and funding their own services when there are already established not-for-profit providers in a region.
- Enhancement of information and health sector intelligence
Our research shows a lack of awareness of regional NGO services amongst many GPs and PHOs despite a range of information sources. This lack of knowledge about NGOs is a barrier to integrated, wrap-around services and limits NGO involvement in patients’ continuum of care.
- NGO input to health sector planning
The absence of significant NGO input to policy setting and strategic planning at the senior level is a barrier to whole-of-sector thinking and successful implementation of community-based services.
- Co-ordinated contracting processes
We are keen to explore options for better co-ordination and consistency of DHB-NGO contracting processes to reduce the compliance burden on providers.
If you have ideas or examples of possible efficiency gains please share these with us or others in your field or region. Your suggestions may help us to shape up future project scopes related to the working relationships between the Ministry and DHBs and NGO health and disability providers. We are currently exploring ideas related to older people’s health, audits and IT decision-making.
Public Health engagement workshops
We are about to kick off a project in conjunction with the Public Health team in National Services Purchasing within the Ministry of Health. Later in the year, the Ministry will be formally consulting on new Public Health Tier 1 definitions. These are used as part of the service contracting processes, so changes will affect many NGO providers.
The Ministry is keen for a wider engagement round with NGOs to help inform development of the consultation document, so we have agreed to facilitate four face-to-face workshops and an online discussion on their behalf. We’ll soon be inviting public health NGO providers to meetings in Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin and Christchurch, which will be held in late June or early July. For those unable to attend, we’ll moderate an online discussion group.
‘Like us’ on Facebook
As part of getting set up for the online discussion, we’ve established a Health and Disability NGO Working Group page on Facebook. We hope you’ll all ‘like’ our page so we can share relevant news and updates with you in a timely manner and you can talk to us too. (The Facebook page will link to a separate closed discussion group for the Public Health project.)
Our Facebook link is:
Regards
Jackie Edmond
Chair, Health & Disability NGO Working Group
MINISTRY OF HEALTH INFORMATION
Ministry of Health website:
Ministry of Health media releases
For the latest media releases from the Ministry of Health go to
Media releases include:
- The Ministry of Health welcomes the decision by Stratford District Council to retain fluoride in its water supply.
- A Ministry of Health investigation into services provided by Southern District Health Board’s BreastScreen HealthCare, the provider in the Otago and Southland regions, has found there has not been a failure of screening.
The Ministry’s structure and business units
For more information about the Ministry’s structure and business units go to Ministry business units.
National Health Board
Improving productivity in the public health service
A new toolkit to assist district health boards to further reduce waiting times and improve the quality of elective surgery has been launched by Health Minister Tony Ryall.
Link to the NHB website
NHB eNewsletter - May 2012
- From the HWNZ Chair
- From the National Director
- From the Board: Primary Care
- Planning & Analysis: Clinical Genetics
- Electives: Seminars launching the 'Improving Patient Flow Toolkit'
- National Services Purchasing: Sleepovers update
- Emergency Management: Health sector readiness
- Health Workforce New Zealand: Regional training hubs
- National Health IT Board: GP2GP gains momentum
- About this Newsletter
IT Health Board
Towards 2014 - April Newsletter, Read the April issue of the Towards 2014 newsletter
In this latest issue we:
- find out how hospitals are going for gold with medication management
- discover why top nurse Vicky Noble is passionate about IT as a tool for quality improvement
- and find out how new standards for information about cancer will improve services
Health Workforce New Zealand
Workforce Innovation website
We have recently launched a new website for health professionals who are interested in sharing information on key workforce initiatives and innovative practice in the health sector, and for sharing views on the shape of the future health workforce.
The website also provides information on the demonstration sites established as part of our Workforce Innovation Programme and the HWNZ-supported Workforce Service Forecasts. We encourage you to visit the site and start sharing your initiatives and views.
HWNZ Stakeholder Bulletin April 2012
There have been a number of significant and successful stakeholder events over the past few months that HWNZ has been very pleased to have been a part of. Link to the bulletin
National Screening Unit
Screening Matters, the on-line newsletter of the National Screening Unit is published bi-monthly. The April issue is now available.
New Ministry of Health publications (since the last update)
Link to publications page
Mental Health Outcomes Factsheet, 2009/10
A showcase of new mental health outcomes data from the Programme for the Integration of Mental Health Data (PRIMHD).
Mental Health and Addiction Factsheet, 2009/10
This factsheet is a showcase of new mental health and addiction data extracted from the Programme for the Integration of Mental Health Data (PRIMHD). PRIMHD was established on 1 July 2008 and superseded the Mental Health Information National Collection (MHINC). This factsheet includes data that was not provided in previous publications sourced from the MHINC.
Implementing the New Zealand Health Strategy 2011
The Minister of Health's annual report on implementing the New Zealand Health Strategy and actions to improve quality.
Link to publications page
Resource and Capability Framework for Adult Palliative Care Services in New Zealand
The Resource and Capability Framework (the Framework) is intended to inform the completion of the final specialist palliative care service specifications.
Maori Provider Development Scheme 2012/13 Purchasing Intentions
This scheme informs Maori health and disability providers and national Maori organisations what the priorities are.It also confirms the funding allocated per stream and the release of the Hauora Maori Scholarships.
Mortality and Demographic Data 2009
Annual statistical publication that collates and analyses information on the underlying causes of all deaths registered in New Zealand.
Link to publications page
Ministry of Health’s Hearing Aid Funding Scheme
If you have a hearing loss, hearing aids may be part of the solution to improve your hearing. This booklet gives you information about the Ministry of Health’s Hearing Aid Subsidy Scheme, the benefits of hearing aids and what you can expect from audiology services.
Suicide Facts: Deaths and intentional self-harm hospitalisations 2009
The publication focuses on deaths and hospitalisations in 2009 and also contains time trend analyses of suicide deaths from 1948 and intentional self-harm hospitalisations from 1996.
Improving the System: Meeting the Challenge
The Improving Patient Flow Toolkit has been developed in collaboration with a sector based working group, and comprises ten improvement strategies that when implemented, will assist Distict Health Boards
Link to publications page
Cancer Trends: Trends in Cancer Survival by Ethnic and Socioeconomic Group, New Zealand, 1991-2004
This report presents new information on trends and inequalities in cancer survival for 21 cancers diagnosed in New Zealand over a 13 year period, from 1991 to 2004.
Guidelines for Implementing the Prohibition on the Display of Tobacco Products
These guidelines provide information to sellers of tobacco products to ensure that they understand the new obligations placed on them when the prohibition on tobacco displays comes into force.
OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
Office for Disability Issues -
Read the latest news from the Office for Disability Issues and related disability matters.
Work and Income Disability Innovation Fund - recipients announced
Symposium on disability-inclusive emergency preparedness and response: learning from the Canterbury earthquakes
2011 Briefing to the Incoming Minister for Disability Issues
"Enabling Good Lives" report of the independent working group on "Day Options"
Update - Changing attitudes and behaviours towards disabled people
Email newsletter
Making voting easier for disabled people
New Zealand Sign Language Act review 2011
2011 annual report on implementing the NZ Disability Strategy
Disability Action Plan 2011 - 2012
Budget 2011: Investing in New Zealanders with disabilities
Release of first NZ report on implementing the UN Convention
New Zealand's framework to promote, protect and monitor implementation of the UN Convention
Budget 2010 - disability issues initiatives
Privacy Sharing in National Emergencies
The Privacy Commissioner has released a proposed code of practice under the Privacy Act to make it easier to share information when there is a national emergency. The code would become active whenever a state of national emergency under civil defence legislation was declared, and its effect would be to partially relax the law that restricts the disclosing of personal information.
The Code would allow the sharing of information to help identify people who have been caught up in the emergency, to help people to get essential services, to coordinate management of the emergency, and to make sure that people who are responsible for others are kept appropriately informed.
Submissions close on 25 May 2012. They go to . More is at
Charities Commission
Update on legislation disestablishing the CharitiesCommission.
The Government Administration select committee considering the Crown Entities Reform Bill ‒ which would, (amongst other reforms), disestablish the Charities Commission as of 1 July 2012 and transfer its core functions to the Department of Internal Affairs ‒ has published its report to parliament.The Crown Entities Reform Bill will be scheduled for a second reading in Parliament, at a date yet to be announced. You can read a copy of the complete report here.
External Reporting Board - Accounting standards framework approved
The External Reporting Board (XRB), which is responsible for setting accounting and auditing standards in New Zealand, has received approval from the Minister of Commerce for a new NZ Accounting Standards Framework and roll-out strategy.
The Framework proposes four different levels of report, depending on an organisation’s income and expenditure. Most charities on the Charities Register will be required to complete the lowest level report, called a ‘Simple Format Report’. The External Reporting Board will provide Simple Format Report templates and guidance, using ‘non-accounting’ language. Charities won’t be compelled to use one of the templates, but their financial reports will have to meet the criteria of the new standard.