From Health NZ Commissioner Lester Levy and Interim Chief Executive Dale Bramley

Health NZ’s updated reset plan released today as a Health Delivery Plan marks a new phase for the organisation and sets out a clear pathway to a stabilised position and a refreshed focus on patients, Commissioner Levy says.  

After several years of uncertainty, Health NZ is now on a path to increased stability, Professor Levy said.

“We welcome the Minister of Health's plan and have a clear direction for the next 16 months and beyond and a renewed service delivery impetus.

“With the changes we are putting in place we will build on the good progress we have made recently by moving more decision-making and resources closer to communities where they can make the biggest improvements for patients.

“We’re unlocking external system capacity, bringing on new theatres in our hospitals and redirecting funding to increase access to GP services.

“Beyond this, we’re doing more to focus activities on achieving all the health targets and have set clear delivery expectations. A new target, focused on primary care, will be created.

“As an organisation, the changes we are making aim to make it easier for our dedicated staff to focus on what matters most and remove unintended barriers so that front-line teams can put more of their direct attention on improving patient outcomes.

“I am committed to rolling out the delivery plan as Health NZ returns to a traditional governance structure,” Professor Levy said.

Interim Chief Executive Dale Bramley says Health NZ is deepening its clinical culture with greater collaboration between managers, staff and clinicians.   

“The delivery plan sets clear milestones to achieve our objectives by the end of the 2026 financial year and to drive better patient outcomes.

“New Zealand has a well-performing health system overall but, like all countries, we know that an ageing population will continue to increase demand on services, so it is critical that we implement these measures to ensure Health NZ is in the best possible shape to respond to the challenge,” Dr Bramley said.

Health NZ’s reset milestones:

  • Devolved service delivery functions in place by June 2025, supported by a regional layer and national functions.
  • Vast majority of change process completed by mid-2025.
  • Reset completed by June 2026.
  • Strong financial controls in action; back to budget by June 2027.