Public Health Service Handbook

Public Health Service Handbook
2002 Revision

A draft for consultation

Note: Submissions have now closed. View current consultation documents.

View the Public Health Service Handbook 2003/04

The Public Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health (the Ministry) is seeking feedback on the revised service specifications for the Public Health Services Handbook (Handbook).

We hope that you will take the time to read service specifications and let us know what you think.

The then Health Funding Authority (HFA) in collaboration with the Ministry developed the Handbook as a resource used to update and inform providers of the policies and practices of the HFA and the Ministry of Health, with a focus on funding public health services. The service specifications described and specified the goals, objectives and components of service that needed to be met to receive funding for public health services.

Following the merger of the HFA and the Ministry in 2001 and the need to update the funding expectations in relation to the Health Sector reforms, it is now necessary to review and update this Handbook. This resource will assist all public health providers and provide consistent and coherent strategies and information.

The handbook is in two parts. This consultation is around the service specifications. A front section, which includes information around the principles and practices of funding public health services, is also being revised.

There are 14 service specifications, as follows:

Physical Environment
Food Safety and Quality
Communicable Disease
Social Environment
Well Child
Non-communicable Disease
Prevention of Alcohol and other drug related harm
Tobacco control
Nutrition and Physical Activity
Sexual Health
Mental Health Promotion
Injury Prevention
Public Health Infrastructure
Problem Gambling (new)

Some of these service specifications have had only minor changes and others have been largely rewritten.

A description of the generic content and purpose of a service specification is available here to assist you in providing comments.

All feedback and comments must be received by Friday 29 November 2002.

Note: Submissions have now closed. View current consultation documents.

View the Public Health Service Handbook 2003/04

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Service Specifications

The Ministry purchases services in 13 service categories and the budget is allocated to these categories. (A fourteenth category, problem gambling, is currently being developed.) Service specifications have been developed for each category and relevant subcategories. Public Health providers are asked to prepare programme plans to address one or more service categories, based on the following service specifications.

Providers will discuss with their Portfolio Manager how their planning documents might address community-based programmes that cover several categories.

The service specifications include:

health goal

the overall health goal for the service category.

a rationale and key issues

the key health issues at a national level and includes key issues which providers need to consider in their planning.

service objectives

the framework of the services the Ministry funds for the particular service category. However this may not all be relevant to all providers.

components of service

the scope of services which may be provided across all providers for that service category. Some providers may specialise in only one or two components. Some regional providers will develop an integrated service plan that includes a balance of most of the components of service in their plan.

service descriptions/activities

a menu of activities which a provider might plan to address the particular service component. One activity may address several components of service and a provider is not expected to carry out all activities. The list has not been designed to be prescriptive, but to give guidance on the types of activities that need to be included in the plan. Where service components are mandatory (e.g. for some regulatory services) this is noted in the specification.

references and supporting documents