44313 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

44313 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What actions, if any, have been taken in the quarter (January to March 2024) to implement the recommendation ‘Create capacity for FSAs by eliminating unnecessary follow-ups. Facilitate discussions with services to identify lower value follow up work that can be avoided to enable provision of long wait FSA and treatment’ as part of Te Whatu Ora Planned Care Taskforce Reset and Restore Plan?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that during the January to March 2024 quarter, Health New Zealand worked to develop the MSK pathway for allied health clinicians, and national competencies. This work relates to the interventions that are focused on releasing FSA capacity by either reducing unnecessary follow-ups or providing them in different ways. These interventions include patient-directed follow-ups; nursing and allied-health led pathways (including new pathways where the skills of allied health and nursing roles are acknowledged in providing FSAs within agreed national pathways).