Following the recent completion of the new Tier One Specification for Public Health Services, the Ministry is currently reviewing the Tier Two Specifications for Public Health Services.
Service specifications are used by the Ministry in contracting to describe the services being purchased and include the purchase units and reporting requirements for providers. Currently, public health services are defined on an issue by issue basis eg, communicable diseases, tobacco control, physical activity & nutrition, well child promotion, mental health promotion, national screening programmes etc. The draft new specifications will take a more functions-based approach, while still ensuring specificity where required:
- Health Assessment and Surveillance
- Public Health Capacity Development
- Health Promotion
- Health Protection
- Preventive Interventions
The draft new Tier Two, and in some cases Tier Three, specifications and a template for making submissions are now available for review on the Nationwide Services Framework Library website:
http://www.nsfl.health.govt.nz/apps/nsfl.nsf/pagesmh/483
The Ministry intends to finalise the new specifications within the next 6 months, so that they are available for use from July 2015.
We have been invited to provide feedback and there may also be sector consultation workshops which we will keep you posted on.
Feedback Due: Please forward your feedback to Senior Policy Analyst, Marilyn Head, marilynh@nzno.org.nz or 04 494 6372 or 0800 283 848 by 7 May 2014