Social services warn targets won’t boost health outcomes

In a submission on the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill, the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS), of which Catholic Social Services is a foundation member, said international research shows health targets often have minimal benefit to health outcomes.

While the NZCCSS strongly supports the introduction of initiatives that will improve health outcomes for New Zealanders, “the targets proposed appear to be a superficial approach to a very complex problem”.

“These targets are likely to make the provision of services appear better without actually improving health outcomes,” the sumbission explains. “This is supported by the findings of similar targets under previous governments – for example, the targets addressing wait times in emergency departments which demonstrated an initial but unsustainable reduction in wait times.”

The initial improvements were largely due to increased resourcing including the provision of extra nursing staff, the submission stated.

“In the current climate, with continued shortages in nursing staff, it is difficult to see how these improvements can be repeated without a substantial increase in funding for this sector.”

With the exception of child immunisation rates, other targets that were previously introduced were similarly lacking in effectiveness, the NZCCSS added.

“While outcomes of these targets may look good on paper, evidence-based research is needed to assess approaches which will have real long-term improvements on health outcomes, including consultation with front-line medical professionals and Māori to ensure that approaches will be effective and culturally appropriate.”

The NZCCSS submission also stated that the removal of the Health Sector Principles and Charter, including the principles of equitable health outcomes, risks significantly worsening health outcomes for Māori and Pacific peoples. The removal of the Health Sector Principles and Charter also risks breaching the Crown’s obligation to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the submission warned.

The NZCCSS argued that the removal of Iwi Māori Partnership Boards risks worsening inequitable health outcomes for Māori, adding that there has been inadequate consultation over this proposal.

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Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill NZCCSS (NZ Parliament)