Health Impact Assessment in New Zealand - Experience at a Policy Level

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Health Impact Assessment in New Zealand
Experience at a Policy Level

Date of publication: July 2006

Summary
Publication availability

Summary
A review of agencies’ experience of three completed HIAs was conducted. Interviews were conducted with a range of organisations involved with the HIAs as follows:

The relevant manager from the organisation developing the policy, plan or strategy
The person from the strategy/planning organisation that was most involved in the work
Participants from three or four agencies involved in the HIA activities.

The review of addresses two broad questions:

What were the positive and the negative experiences of agencies associated with the use of HIA and what were the reasons for this?
What impact did the HIA have on the policy, plan or programme?

Individuals in policy agencies surveyed after HIA were strongly positive about their experience. They found that HIA introduced new information to the policy and improved the understanding and use of information already gathered. It was a more effective means of engaging stakeholders than had been used in the policy process previously and as such, improved understanding of participating organisational roles and responsibilities.

The findings were used to inform advice to the Minister of Health.

Publication availability
This publication is available in Word format below:

Health Impact Assessment in New Zealand - Experience at a Policy Level (Word, 261 KB)
Health Impact Assessment in New Zealand - Experience at a Policy Level (PDF, 179 KB)

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