Federation publishes vision for National Community Health and Wellbeing Networks establishment

Covid-19 has demonstrated that primary care can work together to deliver when there is a clear, shared goal, enabling rapid change and responsiveness, dissolving some previous barriers between secondary and primary health care. In this spirit, the 27-member Federation of Primary Health Aotearoa wants to continue this momentum by publishing a shared vision for establishment of Community Health and Wellbeing Networks to deliver the best possible outcomes for all New Zealanders.

“We’re very much all in this together,” says Martin Hefford. “The Covid experience impressed upon Federation members the importance of well-functioning local relationships equipped to deliver better outcomes for communities that are wider than Health.

“The Vulnerable Population Project from Nelson Bays Primary Health is just one example of how integrated health networks are successfully delivering better outcomes in pockets of our communities,” says Hefford. “This initiative sees lead community agencies delivering medical centre, pharmacy and dental consult vouchers to reduce access barriers for priority populations within a wraparound service depending on need.”

“We want a national framework with supportive policies that enable and encourage primary and community organisations to work with iwi in an organised way to deliver equitable health and wellbeing services in each local area.”

The Federation paper identifies the high-level policy enablers needed to support development of local network agreements, including; sustainable longer term funding, greater national consistency in funding decisions and commissioning, and regional support organisations to support community health and wellbeing networks. The paper asks the Minister of Health to establish an officials’ working group to support implementation of the proposed Community Health and Wellbeing Networks model.

“The Health and Disability System Review Panel identified challenges with fragmented primary and community health care being delivered inconsistently and without meaningful consideration for the needs of individuals, whānau and communities,” notes board member and Pharmacy Guild CEO Andrew Gaudin. “Our members feel that establishment of a National Community Health and Wellbeing Network offers a high-level view of what a co-ordinated Sector response could look like, and we’ve shared this in discussions with Minister Clark over the last week,” he says.