The Chairs of the Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ) National Committee and the Māori Health Advisory Committee made a joint submission to the Health Committee on a Bill proposing wide ranging amendments to the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022.
We opposed the following proposals in the Bill, as these would have significant adverse impacts on patients, doctors, and the wider health system:
• preventing doctors employed in the public health system from speaking out on government policies which impact, or may impact, adversely on patient care
• changing the provisions which establish the accountability of Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand to Māori, and lack of consultation with Māori in developing the Bill
• repealing the health sector principles and the Health Charter
• embedding five health sector targets in the Government Policy Statement on Health
• removing the requirement for specific knowledge, experience, and expertise on the Public Health Expert Advisory Committee.
We opposed the following proposals in the Bill, as these would have significant adverse impacts on patients, doctors, and the wider health system:
• preventing doctors employed in the public health system from speaking out on government policies which impact, or may impact, adversely on patient care
• changing the provisions which establish the accountability of Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand to Māori, and lack of consultation with Māori in developing the Bill
• repealing the health sector principles and the Health Charter
• embedding five health sector targets in the Government Policy Statement on Health
• removing the requirement for specific knowledge, experience, and expertise on the Public Health Expert Advisory Committee.