46824 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

46824 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter January to March 2024 to ‘Establish baseline accessibility and usability requirements for the production and publication of all public facing health information, including accessible language, accessible channels to find and use information, and alternative formats for health information’ under section 4.3 ‘Health of Tāngata whaikaha | Disabled people’ within Te Whatu Ora’s Te Pae Tata: Interim New Zealand Health Plan 2022?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that during the January to March 2024 quarter the following actions were progressed: Content strategy and standards for Health Information and Services - Baseline accessibility and usability standards were established for consumer-facing content published on Health Information and Services. Accessibility auditing - Health NZ continued to test, audit, and improve its websites in line with web accessibility best practices. Participating in the GCDO CWAC - Health NZ signed up to participate in the Centralised Web Accessibility Checker, run by the Government Chief Digital Office in DIA. Alternative formats in general - 70 alternate formats were published to Health Information and Services. Accessible format library - Health NZ commissioned a proof-of-concept for a dedicated accessible format information service to explore the workflow and digital tools required to produce and maintain health information in alternate formats at scale; surface alternate format translations, and make it easier to have accessible information available on health websites. Accessibility position paper - Health NZ drafted an accessibility position paper including expectations on web accessibility standards. - The Health Promotion Directorate continues to ensure that new published content meets the requirements of the Plain Language Act 2022 and that digital resources meet Government Digital Accessibility Standards. All new content is also produced with inclusivity and de-stigmatisation in mind. Health Zealand continue to actively moving websites hosted on older platforms, which may have lower accessibility requirements, to spaces that are stable, secure and accessible. Some print resources are available in Braille, Easy Read and Large Print.