Heads of Govt Health Transition Unit to speak at FPHANZ webinar

Director and Deputy Director of the Government’s Health and Disability Transition Unit (TU), Stephen McKernan (former Dir. Gen of Health) and Martin Hefford, will speak at a Federation of Primary Health (FPHANZ) webinar tomorrow (Friday).

FPHANZ Board Chair, Hon. Steve Chadwick, says this is a unique opportunity for Federation members to meet, hear from and ask questions of the two top officials heading this key body.

“The board is pleased to be able to bring this opportunity to Federation members. We look forward to working with the Transition Unit, the Māori Health Authority (MHA) and Health New Zealand (HNZ) as the health sector starts on the road of reforms,” she says.

Messers McKernan and Hefford will provide an update on key progress of the health system reform programme, including plans for the next nine months; an update on the latest locality networking model thinking and work on prototype; the NZ Health Charter, the NZ Health Plan, and an update on the Māori Health Authority and Health New Zealand.

“As the peak body for [1][i]Primary Care in New Zealand we understand how important it is to successfully integrate the primary health system as these changes are explored and implemented. Our primary healthcare system is key to the success of the overall New Zealand health system,” she says.

The COVID restrictions meant FPHANZ had to change the plan for a kanohi-ki-te-kanohi (face-to-face) forum this month, to a series of short zoom webinars starting with tomorrow’s event.