52406 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

52406 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: Were agreements for outsourced contact tracing capacity renewed or replaced after they were set to expire in June 2024, if not, why not?

Hon Simeon Brown: I am advised that Health New Zealand held the timebound surge capacity contract through to 30 June 2024. As the National Public Health Service was stood up, and its operating model and ways of working matured, its teams were able to provide on call and weekend support for contact tracing tasks. I am further advised that with those arrangements in place, Health NZ considered that the external surge contract was no longer required and therefore it was not renewed.