Summary of Responses to The Future Shape of Primary Health Care: A discussion document

Summary of Responses to The Future Shape of Primary Health Care:
A discussion document

Date of publication: September 2000

This paper was released in September 2000. The final Primary Health Care Strategy can be viewed here.

Foreword
I am very pleased to present the summary of responses that were received to the discussion document on primary health care that I released at the end of March.

People showed considerable interest in the paper and the proposals it contained. Nearly 300 written submissions were received and many other people expressed their views through the 54 meetings that were held around the country. The quality and detail of responses was considerable and I am grateful to the time and effort that has been given.

Clearly, everyone agrees with me that strong primary health care is essential to achieving the Government’s goals for health. Those goals will be set out in the New Zealand Health Strategy and many people have also made their views known on my discussion document about that strategy. I will shortly also make a summary of those comments available.

The Government will now finalise the New Zealand Health Strategy and the other strategies that form part of it – including the Primary Health Care Strategy.

It is very important that plans such as these take account of people’s comments. Our health system must meet the needs of those it serves and it needs the support of those who provide the services.

I thank everyone who has taken a part in this process so far. I assure you that the future health system, especially the primary health care services that are close to where people live and work, will continue to match people’s needs and involve patients and communities in how they operate.

Hon Annette King
Minister of Health

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