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account of the Crown’s policy directions for Maori health expressed in the document Whaia te ora mo te iwi [1993].

2 Health Gain Priority Areas

In fulfilling the primary objective, the Crown particularly seeks to improve health status in the following health gain priority areas, by way of the following methods described in relation to those priority areas:

(a) Child Health

• by focusing on improving the coverage of services, in particular through targeting those who are in need of additional services, and through identifying cost-effective services; and

(b) Maori Health

• by focusing on providing services which aim to meet the health needs and expectations of Maori so that they will have the opportunity to enjoy the same level of health as non-Maori; and

(c) Mental Health

• by focusing on decreasing the prevalence of mental illness and reducing the impact of mental disorders (including those related to drug or alcohol abuse) on consumers of health services, their families, caregivers and the community through increasing the range of community-based mental health services, increasing the involvement of Maori in service delivery, and improving the quality of care provided; and

(d) Physical Environmental Health

• by focusing on preventing and reducing health risks arising from environmental factors, and focusing on protecting the public from avoidable harm and illness.

3 Service Obligations

In order to achieve the primary objective, the following service obligations shall apply.

(a) The Range of Health and Disability Services to be Purchased by the Southern Regional Health Authority

For the Southern Regional Health Authority, in accordance with and to the extent enabled by its Funding Agreement, to purchase or arrange for the purchase of the following health and disability services:

(i) Primary Care Services:

(ii) Pregnancy and Childbirth Services:

(iii) Dental Health Services:

(iv) Primary Diagnostic and Therapeutic Support Services:

(v) Secondary and Tertiary Medical Services:

(vi) Secondary and Tertiary Surgical Services:

(vii) Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Services:

(viii) Disability Support Services:

(ix) Public Health Services.

(b) The Coverage and/or Terms of Access to those Services

For the Southern Regional Health Authority, in relation to the coverage of and/or access to the health and disability services listed in paragraph (a) of this clause, to—

(i) provide equitable access to health and disability services;

(ii) ensure appropriate and workable assessment and review procedures are used in determining access to health and disability services;

(iii) target services, as appropriate, to particular individuals or populations in relation to need. These target individuals and populations may be defined by geography, age, culture, or a range of other factors related to identifiable health and/or disability need; and

(iv) ensure that all purchase agreements for such services specify that the Provider must at least meet the service obligations set out in the Funding Agreement.

The Crown envisages that health and disability services may be planned and/or purchased nationally, regionally, or locally.

(c) The Standard of those Services

For the Southern Regional Health Authority to purchase health and disability services—

(i) in a way that at least maintains, and where possible improves, the quality and effectiveness of those services; and

(ii) through contracts which require Providers to comply with all requisite legal, ethical, and safety requirements relating to the provision and standard of health and disability services; and

(iii) through contracts which require Providers to ensure that the services provided are culturally appropriate and aim to respect and empower the eligible persons and communities served by the Southern Regional Health Authority.

4 Principles

For the purposes of clause 1 (1) (a) of this notice, the principles are—

(a) equity; and

(b) effectiveness; and

(c) efficiency; and

(d) safety; and

(e) acceptability; and

(f) risk management.

Dated at Wellington this 25th day of June 1996.

HON. JENNY SHIPLEY, Minister of Health.

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