Submission on the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill

Rare Disorders NZ supports, in principle, the intent of the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill to improve the effectiveness of health service delivery for all New Zealanders. We have identified areas in the existing Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act and the Bill where there is additional potential to make changes to fully achieve this intent. Our recommendations are outlined below.

Rare Disorders NZ recommends the Bill is amended to:

• Legislate the Rare Disorders Strategy as a health strategy under the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Act;
• Require health strategies to include action plans and accountability measures;
• Retain commitments to equitable access to health services in the original Act by retaining the Health Sector Principles or amending clause 5 of the Bill so the new purpose in section 3 is changed to: ensure that patients have timely, equitable access to effective, appropriate and quality health services;
• Preserve existing expertise requirements for appointments to the board and expert advisory committee on public health.
• Update Pharmac’s legislation, including its statutory objectives, to ensure its decision making better reflects broader health, social, and economic outcomes, and patients’ voices, and is aligned with recent reviews and strategic direction.

Read the full submission here.