Public Health in New Zealand - Where to From Here?

Publications
Public Health in New Zealand - Where to From Here?

Date of publication: June 2004

Summary
Publication availability

Summary
The Public Health Advisory Committee (PHAC) commissioned five opinion pieces to act as discussion starters for its project looking at public health in the current New Zealand public health environment, to help inform the PHAC of the new opportunities and challenges presented by this environment.

New Zealand's public health environment was going through a time of dramatic change both structurally and philosophically. The creation of District Health Boards and Public Health Units significantly altered the health sector, and public health was not been immune to this reshaping. More recently, the emerging Primary Health Organisations embody the idea that the health of individuals and communities are intrinsically linked, and not separate issues.

At the same time, there was increasingly wide recognition that the health of the public both influences and is influenced by factors far outside what is traditionally defined as the health sector. This led to a re-evaluation of the scope and nature of public health, and the ways in which different bodies and agencies can work together to promote it.

The opinion pieces address public health leadership, Māori public health leadership, and some of the crucial relationships the public health sector needs to develop with others. They can be accessed from the links below.

Publication availability
The opinion pieces are available in Word and PDF format below:

Public Health leadership - Dr Phil Shoemack

Public Health and Government (Policy) - Dr Robin Gauld

Interface between Public Health and Local Government - Megan Courtney

Interface between public Health and Primary Health Organisations - Dr Peter Crampton

Leadership in Maori public Health - Drs Keri and Mihi Ratima

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