The 2024 Health and Independence Report has been released, providing a comprehensive overview of the health of New Zealanders and how well the health system is performing.
The report, published by the Ministry of Health, highlights that the health system is experiencing increased demand for services, driven by interrelated factors that span population needs, population health, and the wider factors influencing health and system performance.
The report provides insights into where efforts can be targeted in the future to improve the health of New Zealanders.
'This report gives us a clear picture of where we are and where we need to be,' says Director-General of Health, Audrey Sonerson.
'It shows that while our health system continues to serve many people well, challenges remain in the delivery of improved health outcomes for all New Zealanders.'
The report is structured into four key sections:
- People of New Zealand - who we are and how we're changing. This section provides an overview of the population, including population growth, ageing, and increased diversity.
- Health status - the health of New Zealanders. This section presents population health measures, and information about the key conditions affecting New Zealanders - non-communicable and communicable diseases.
- Health drivers - the broader factors that shape population health. This section includes the determinants of health, risk and protective factors, and unwanted differences between groups.
- Health system - the state of the health system. This section presents information related to key enablers and outputs of the health system, such as strategy, funding, workforce, experience of care, primary care, and hospital care.
The findings will help guide future planning and investment, and support the Government's focus on delivering timely, high-quality, patient-centred care.
Read the full report at Health and Independence Report 2024.
