New Zealand HealthIT Cluster
News About Members Innovations e-Projects Library Links Events Search Contact
Newsletter   |   Press Releases   |  


NEWS ARTICLE: The Press. New plan for at-risk families
Posted: 8 February 2010

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3299131/New-plan-for-at-risk-families

Plans to devolve millions of dollars in social services spending to community groups are set to be unveiled next week.

A report due on Thursday from the Government's Whanau Ora task force will outline a new approach to welfare and health service delivery for New Zealand's most at-risk families.

The Government plans to earmark millions of dollars from health and welfare budgets for a new style of community delivery, bypassing state agencies.

A ministerial group, led by Health Minister Tony Ryall, has been discussing implementation of the policy, which is likely to receive ring-fenced funding in the May Budget.

In a major shift in policy, Whanau Ora will be open to all Kiwis, not just Maori as the Maori Party had envisaged.

The Whanau Ora task force was originally asked to "find a better way for the Government to deal with Maori whanau".

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said that was because the proposal was originally designed under Labour, but the National-led Government always planned to widen the scheme to all New Zealanders.

"While the concept of Whanau Ora might be pertinent for Maori, there's no doubt in my mind that the whole concept of being self-managing is pertinent to any community," he said.

Labour MP Shane Jones said the policy was "privatisation of welfare wrapped in a Maori cloak" and would lead to more job losses and funding cuts in the public sector to pay for the scheme.

It is understood next week's report will provide the Government with options for change, ranging from allowing non-government organisations to tender for individual social service contracts to the private management of a family's contact with state agencies.

Ryall said change was needed because it was clear the current system of delivery was not working.


MEMBERS LOGIN
Forgot Password
How to Join
WHATS NEW
New Content
News Article: ComputerWorld NZ: New NZICT Chair elected
New Content
Connected Health Industry Forum
New Content
News Article- NZ Health IT Vendor wins Canadian contract
New Content
NEWS STORY: Dominion Post: Records Online for MedicAlert members
New Content
SPEECH: Minister of Health: Opening MedicAlert national office and launch of Patient Vitals health portal
New Content
NEWS ARTICLE: Computerworld NZ: National Health IT Board calls for greater funding
New Content
PRESS RELEASE: Minister of Health: Shared Services board confirmed
New Content
Final National Health IT Plan released
New Content
PRESS RELEASE: NZBIO joins up to work with NZ's Health IT Cluster
New Content
NEWS ARTICLE: Dominion Post: Cabinet casts shared contracts net wider
New Content
PRESS RELEASE: Minister of Health: Government extends Pharmac role
New Content
SPEECH NOTES: Minister of Health - Speech at the World Health Care Networks Conference
New Content
NEWS ARTICLE: ODT: Personal health information workshop topic
New Content
National Network of Commercialisation Centres - discussion document
New Content
NEWS STORY - DOMINION POST - Van Arkel to chair health IT agency
New Content
Health System Governance and Leadership -6 July Update
New Content
Overview of the French health system and the health ICT market
New Content
NEWS ARTICLE: ComputerWorld NZ - Health standards body ratifies online standard
QUOTE OF THE DAY

 It never ceases to amaze me just how may world leading innovations come out a a country as small as New Zealand. We often don’t realize that our innovations stack up just as well if not better than other countries on the world stage.

Dr Mark Billinghurst, Director, HIT Lab NZ, 2002

Disclaimer  |  Privacy  |  Copyright  |  Contact  |  Website developed by Enigma.