38203 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

38203 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made as at 17 June 2024, toward the recommendation ‘Co-design strategy - Pacific’ in Te Whatu Ora’s ‘BreastScreen Aotearoa Quality Improvement Action Plan’?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that Pacific communities and organisations are feeding into, and helping to shape, various aspects of the BSA Quality Improvement Review. Several co-design initiatives are underway with Pacific organisations, including: Pae Whakatere meets monthly and includes several members who bring a Pacific perspective. Partnerships have been established with the Pacific Campaign and Resources Advisory Group (CAG), who supported the HPV Campaign, to help the BSA Review develop and deliver promotion and marketing work. Regional hui-fono are being planned across New Zealand to help build and strengthen relationships across the BSA cancer screening system; identify issues facing providers and discuss potential solutions to these. The first hui-fono was held in Hamilton on 20 May 2024 and involved a range of Māori and Pacific-focused organisations. Additional funding is enabling BSA lead providers to extend hours of service and use alternative locations for screening. One lead provider intends to use this funding to build off existing ‘Mana Wāhine’ days by running a Saturday screening day every two months specifically focused on Pacific women. A discovery phase for a Counties Manukau co-design pilot (with a focus on Pacific women) is complete, which identified strong demand for the establishment of Māori and Pacific networks of breast screening organisations to share insights. Planning is underway for a Pacific Deep Dive which aims to reduce the equity gap, increase screening rates for Pacific women back to pre-COVID-19 levels, and ensure that high-quality screening and support services are available across the country, regardless of where a woman lives.