10873 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

10873 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter October – December 2023 to ‘Develop and implement surge planning that utilises regional and community care capacity to maintain safe patient and staff environments’ under section 3.5 ‘Networked hospital and specialist service delivery’ within Te Whatu Ora’s Te Pae Tata: Interim New Zealand Health Plan 2022?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that in the October – December 2023 quarter, Health New Zealand began developing a nationally consistent hospital escalation matrix to standardise how hospital pressures are assessed and reported, including agreed baseline measures and associated actions to support patient flow across the acute pathway. In addition, I am advised that an expert working group was established during the quarter to define the core principles and definitions for Integrated Operations Centres in Districts.