Health of Older People in New Zealand

Improving Assessment and Service Co-ordination for Older People

In 2003, the New Zealand Guidelines Group published a set of evidence based guidelines, Assessment Processes for Older People (New Zealand Guidelines Group 2003). The Guidelines recommended that New Zealand introduce:

• a standardised assessment process
• a national data set
• a national assessment tool

The New Zealand Guidelines Group commissioned a comparative review and analysis of the leading assessment tools available internationally. The InterRAI MDS-HC assessment was identified as the tool that would best meet the requirements for a standardised assessment process and a national data set.

InterRAI was trialed in five district health boards (Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Capital and Coast, Hutt Valley and Canterbury), and evaluated by Auckland University under contract to the Ministry of Health.

Auckland University submitted their final reports between November 2006 and February 2007: A total of three reports were produced and provide an analysis of the following:

• The exploration of the InterRAI training programme implemented across five District Health Boards of New Zealand (PDF, 1 MB)
• Exploring experiences of the MDS-HC trial implementation in five District Health Boards of New Zealand (PDF, 562 KB)
• Tauranga Older Person Comprehensive Assessment Trial (TOPCAT). An analysis of the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of InterRAI MDS-HC (PDF, 6 MB - Warning, large file)

The Ministry also commissioned an independent peer review of the Auckland University evaluation of InterRAI. This review was commissioned in order to provide an overview of the methods used in the evaluations and to advise the Ministry on the reliability and significance of the findings that were presented by Auckland University. It was carried out by CBG Health Research Ltd.

• Independent peer review of the Auckland University evaluation of InterRAI (Word, 32 KB)
  Independent peer review of the Auckland University evaluation of InterRAI (PDF, 22 KB)

Most of the DHBs who were involved in the Auckland University trial have continued to develop and improve InterRAI. The remaining DHBs are at various stages of readiness. Around five DHBs are giving serious consideration to the adoption of InterRAI in the short to medium term.

Related information

• Assessment Processes for Older People guidelines (New Zealand Guidelines Group 2003)
  
  
• Information on InterRAI (www.interrai.org)

Page last updated: 9 June 2008