This is the second year that I am publishing a separate report on audit results for the health sector. This report accompanies my reports on the education and transport sectors, which sit alongside the Crown research institutes, central government, and local government reports.
The performance of the public health system – in particular, the district health boards (DHBs) – is important to us all. Good health is important for us personally and collectively, as a contributor to the social and economic well-being of New Zealand. The health sector is the largest area of central government spending on public services. Ensuring clinical and financial sustainability to meet our current and future health needs is an ongoing challenge for the whole sector.
My previous reporting on the health sector has focused on the results for DHBs. This year, I have broadened this report to include audit results and commentary on other public sector health entities, including shared service agencies working with DHBs, the Ministry of Health, and Crown entities such as the Pharmaceutical Management Agency (Pharmac) and the New Zealand Blood Service.