overview
The NZ parliament consists of one chamber, the House of Representatives. Local government has a two-tiered structure consisting of 12 regional councils and 73 territorial authorities.
With the 2000 New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act and the 2001 Primary Health Care Strategy, New Zealand has moved away from a competitive purchaser/provider market model towards a community oriented system with a focus on prevention, health promotion, population health and community engagement. Twenty-one District Health Boards (DHBs) were established with responsibility for the provision of health and disability services within specific geographic boundaries.
Funded through the DHBs through capitation funding formulas, 81 Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) deliver and coordinate a team of health professionals (doctors, nurse practitioners, allied and other) to provide services for enrolled members of their communities and distribute funds to contracted GPs and other primary health care providers. Enrolment with a PHO is not compulsory but enrolled citizens can receive population health and preventive care through the PHO. Capitation payments to general practitioners are administered through the PHO however general practitioners also have the option of charging patients a co-payment.
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more information on primary health care in new zealand
 Health Policy Monitor
New Zealand Health Workforce Statistics 2003 New Zealand Health Information Service
The New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 New Zealand Parliament (2000). NZ Ministry of Health.
Primary Health Care Strategy Website New Zealand Ministry of Health
Analysis and discussion
Health Service Research Centre (University of Wellington) Publications Evaluation documents from the Primary Health Care Strategy
'General practice and the New Zealand health reforms - lessons for Australia?' McAvoy BR & Coste, GD. (2005). Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2:26.
'Recent developments in the funding and organisation of the New Zealand health system' Ashton T. (2005). Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2:9.
'Health targets' Tenbensel T. (2007). Health Policy Monitor October.
'Restructuring Primary Health Care Markets in New Zealand: from Welfare Benefits to Insurance Markets' Howell B. (2005). Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2:20.
'How general practice is funded in New Zealand' Malcolm L. (2004).
The Medical Journal of Australia
181(2): 106-107.
Development of nurse practitioners CHSRP University of Auckland (2006). Health Policy Monitor October.
Models of primary health care nursing CHSRP (2006). Health Policy Monitor April.
'A System-Eye View from an Australian Perspective: Reflections on the IPA Council (IPAC) of New Zealand Conference, Rotorua, 14-15 May 2004' Sibthorpe B. (2004). Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute.
'Implementing the Primary Health Care Strategy: A Māori Health Provider Perspective' Abel S, Gibson D, et al. (2005). New Zealand Ministry of Social Development:Social Policy Journal of New Zealand (25).
'Reducing health disparities through primary care reform: the New Zealand experiment' Hefford M, Crampton P, et al. (2005). Health Policy 72(1): 9-23.
'Forecasting GP Workforce Capacity: Towards an understanding of GP workforce capacity, long-term forecasting and benchmarking tools' Fretter J & Pande M. (2006). The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.
'Are New Zealand's new primary health organisations fit for purpose?' Gauld R & Mays N. (2006). BMJ 333: 1216-1218.
Fit for purpose and for practice: Advice to the Minister of Health on issues concerning the medical workforce in New Zealand Medical Reference Group Health Workforce Advisory Committee (2006). Health Workforce Advisory Committee.
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