10268 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

10268 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter October – December 2023 to ‘Redesign community-based oral health services for children so they are responsive to Māori whānau and Pacific aiga to reduce the inequity of access and outcomes’ under section 2.2 ‘Kahu Taurima | Maternity and early years’ within Te Whatu Ora’s Te Pae Tata: Interim New Zealand Health Plan 2022?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that during the October – December 2023 quarter, Health New Zealand's focus was on building oral health commissioning capacity. As a result, there has been a delay to the redesign of community-based oral health services to be more responsive to Māori and Pacific children and young people. I am further advised that during the quarter, work continued to support new Hauora Māori and Pacific-led oral health care capacity in regions. Additionally, manufacturing and planning mobile dental clinics continued.