Hira work programme

Tranche one will be delivered over two-and-a-half years. It will put in place many of the elements needed to lay the foundations for a digitally enabled health and disability system. This includes technology enablers such as digital identity and interoperability services. 

Hira tranche one has six core workstreams.

1. The data services workstream will oversee the provision of application programming interfaces (APIs) to enable a person’s health information to be brought together from different trusted sources and viewed as a virtual electronic health record. This is the foundation of all Hira products and services.
2. The channels workstream will allow consumers and health providers to access, update and share relevant health information using Hira products and services. A marketplace and developer portal will be established to provide access to Hira products and services and to allow developers to find and connect to APIs.
3. The operational services workstream will establish an adaptable and evolving operating model to ensure secure and stable Hira services. This includes a certification framework to ensure that people and organisations connecting to the ecosystem contribute in a positive way and comply with applicable standards.
4. The identity workstream, building on the My Health Account initiative, will deliver the technical components needed to ensure a unique digital identity is in place to manage safe and secure access for each user of Hira services.
5. The interoperability workstream will provide an event notification service to notify relevant parties when changes are made to individual data sources, and an integration platform for securely drawing together health data from different sources. This will create opportunities to streamline processes and automate workflows while eliminating redundant and/or duplicated data entry.
6. The change and adoption workstream will support health consumers, providers and developers to adopt Hira and get the most out of its products and services.

Tranche two will be completed by around mid-2026. It will extend the range of health data, eligibility and entitlement information covered by Hira and will include a focus on health literacy to support the adoption of Hira services, especially improving digital equity.

Tranche three will be completed before the end of 2026. It will connect Hira services more widely across the health and disability system and expand access to Hira datasets.

It will also improve communication and collaboration to allow New Zealanders to access services in a seamless and consistent way.

To ensure Hira helps improve Māori health outcomes and targets equity challenges, Hira will be co-designed with Māori in a way that embraces te ao Māori ideals and practices.

The Ministry of Health has established Te Rangapū Tiriti, which will provide oversight and governance of this co-design work and contribute to decision-making on the overall Hira programme.

Te Rangapū Tiriti is a partnership group that helps set priorities and co-design new initiatives with the Hira and Digital Enablement programmes. The rōpū explores innovative ways to effectively engage tangata whenua and enable mana motuhake and tino rangatiratanga. 

Te Rangapū Tiriti works in partnership with the Ministry’s Digital Enablement Oversight Group and the Hira Governance Group, with equal decision-making power. Members will also provide critical insights from their communities and hold the Ministry to account for meeting its Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti) obligations. 

The name ‘Te Rangapū Tiriti’ is a literal translation of ‘The Treaty Partnership’. It is symbolic of the equal partnership between Māori and the Crown in moving towards a shared vision of pae ora, healthy futures for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Te Rangapū Tiriti includes community leaders, Māori innovators, health sector leaders, and whānau with lived experience from the digital sector. Membership is for 12 months initially, to help establish the rōpū and plan for future representation.

The establishment of this rōpū is a first for the Ministry. It is a real opportunity to set in place an approach to working that honours Te Tiriti and empowers Māori.

Within the Digital Enablement Oversight Group, Hira Governance Group and Te Rangapū Tiriti governance framework, the Hira research and discovery team has been investigating what co-design between Māori and the Ministry could look like. Following consultation with Māori staff within the Ministry, the team has proposed using the concept of 'nga punga' or 'anchor stones' to guide co-design activities.

The anchor stones proposed for Hira co-design work are:

• Whakapono – Turning our words into actions
• Whai wahitanga – Creating time and space to develop our partnership
• Uaranga hononga – Building trusted relationships together
• Hangai – Being reflective and responsive to what is needed
• Aroha ki te tangata, Aroha ki te whenua – With aroha for both tangata and whenua.

The Ministry will work with Māori and wānanga to test the proposed anchor stones and refine the proposed co-design approach.