39049 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

39049 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter January to March 2024 on the recommended focus area ‘Te Aho o Te Kahu to work with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora and the Māori Health Authority | Te Aka Whai Ora to ensure planning and decisions around the distribution of cancer treatment services are made at a national level. This includes assessment and consideration of likely impacts of distribution on equity for Māori, Pacific, disabled, rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, and the needs of these groups’ under ‘System-wide solution 3: cancer service distribution and delivery’ in the Cancer Control Agency ’Cancer Services Planning’ document?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that during this quarter (January to March 2024) the Cancer Control Agency - Te Aho o Te Kahu finalised the Stem Cell Transplant Model of Care in preparation for distribution to Health New Zealand (HNZ), continued sector engagement on the Radiation Oncology Model of Care to progress the development for final release in and continued to incorporate feedback through engagement with the sector and in particularly with the Medical Oncology Working group in preparation for release in July 2024. All models of care developed include an equity assessment on the impact of the model on those individuals and their whānau who are most disadvantaged. Cancer Control Agency leaders also met monthly with HNZ to co-ordinate service improvement activity and contribute to national cancer service planning.