Health Needs Assessment for New Zealand - Background paper and literature review

Health Needs Assessment for New Zealand - Background paper and literature review
Date of publication: December 2000

The Minister of Health introduced the New Zealand Health and Disability Bill into Parliament in August 2000, enacted in December 2000. The new Act will provide for District Health Boards, whose responsibilities will include the requirement to conduct health needs assessments in their districts.

The Ministry of Health and the Health Funding Authority have been working collaboratively through the District Health Board Establishment Support Unit to prepare the way for the transition of Hospital and Health Services to District Health Boards. Health needs assessments will enable those Boards to assess community need in a way that ensures the health needs of communities are understood and prioritised according to the availability of resources to meet those needs.

In preparation for the District Health Boards health needs assessments work programme, the Ministry of Health has commissioned Professor Gregor Coster of the Division of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Auckland, to prepare a background paper and international literature review on the topic of health needs assessment, including disability support services. Accompanying this review will be more specific guidance to District Health Boards on the content of health needs assessments.

The Ministry anticipates that this review will assist District Health Boards and others in the sector with health needs assessment.

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