13095 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Associate Minister of Health

13095 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Associate Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter October to December 2023 in ‘evaluating the new accountability approach, the roles of strategies, the GPS and New Zealand Health Plan | Te Pae Tata, and the effectiveness of their delivery and alignment in achieving system goals’ under ‘Ongoing research and evaluation’ within the Rural Health Strategy 2023?

Hon Matt Doocey: I am advised that the Rural Health Strategy sets the long-term direction for improving rural health outcomes. The forthcoming Government Policy Statement on Health (GPS) 2024–2027 and New Zealand Health Plan will include expectations and actions over a three-year period that improve rural health outcomes. Monitoring the Rural Health Strategy is a requirement under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 and will be undertaken by officials at key points in the accountability cycle. Consequently, no formal monitoring has been undertaken of priorities from the Rural Health Strategy that were progressed through actions in the specific quarter October-December 2023.