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| Alignment of the Health and Disability Sector Ethnicity Data Protocols with the Statistics NZ 2005 Standard - Ministry of Health |
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Posted: 15 May 2009
Background
As you are aware, reducing health inequalities between ethnic groups is a key goal for the health system. Accurate, consistent Ethnicity data is crucial to the Health and Disability System Sector. Ethnicity data helps inform the health system about the health status of specific groups. This enables the development of health services that meet the needs of these groups and enables the effectiveness of such services to be monitored.
Having a standard way to record, analyse and report on ethnicity data helps provide a high level of data quality. Service providers, managers, analysts and strategists can then have confidence in the data when they make decisions about health interventions.
In 2005, Statistics New Zealand introduced the new Statistical Standard for Ethnicity (refer to Statistics NZ website for more details on the Statistics NZ 2005 Standard: http://www.stats.govt.nz). The Ministry of Health has been working on a phased approach to implementing this Standard within the Health and Disability Sector.
2008 Consultation
In 2008 the Ministry consulted with the Health and Disability Sector on implementation of the Statistics NZ Standard (level 2) and on whether the health sector should record ethnicity at a more detailed level (recording of up to six ethnicity responses – up from the current three.)
The Ministry wishes to thank the many individuals and organizsations that participated in the consultation exercise. The responses were summarised and considered by a representative Sector Reference Group and a summary of the key findings and the respondents is attached as Appendix A.
Statistics NZ Standard (level 2) code effective from 1 July 2009
The Ministry is implementing the Statistics NZ Standard (level 2) code set in Ministry information systems and collections effective from 1 July 2009.
Because of the need for use of a consistent code set across the whole Health and Disability System, the Ministry encourages you to also implement this code set in your systems and procedures. Further consultation with non-DHB providers is underway to establish a realistic expectation for time to complete implementation of the ethnicity code set changes.
Support for Implementation
To support implementation, the Ministry will issue Supplementary Notes to the Health and Disability Sector Ethnicity Data Protocols. These are published on the Ministry website www.moh.govt.nz/ncamp. Guidance on the use of the new code set, particularly the residual codes is included.
The Ethnicity Standard Consultation document (Appendix A) can be found Here
The Supplementary Notes (Appendix B) can be found Here
The complete Ethnicity Codeset (Appendix C & D) can be found Here |
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“ New Zealanders have a strong tradition of being very independent and going out and making their mark on the world.”
Dr Mark Billinghurst, Director, HIT Lab NZ, 2002
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