We asked what happened with our recommendations? Here’s what we found out
Our Chief Executive Karen Orsborn outlines the progress with the first set of recommendations made by Te Hiringa Mahara. The full report can be downloaded.
The Commission has a system oversight and leadership role that includes making recommendations, monitoring progress and holding agencies accountable for change. One way we do this is through publishing monitoring reports and recommendations, assessing progress on the recommendations we make, and sharing this information with the public.
We released our first 5-year monitoring report Kua Tīmata Te Haerenga | The Journey has Begun in June 2024, which included four recommendations for Health NZ and one recommendation for the government to be achieved by 30 June 2025. We know our stakeholders including tāngata whaiora and those with lived experience want to see the impact and influence our work has in creating change, so in recent months we have followed up on our recommendations in Kua Tīmata Te Haerenga. The Assessment of progress report released recently summarises the information provided by Health NZ and government agencies and includes commentary from Te Hiringa Mahara on the progress made so far.
This report shows that three recommendations from Kua Tīmata Te Haerenga have been completed. Having a plan to support the workforce and address workforce shortages, government funding for improved prevalence information, and better data systems will now provide a solid foundation from which effective changes can be designed and implemented. Health NZ must now build on this success by taking the next steps to improve access to MHA services on the ground. Timely implementation of a robust workforce plan would ensure there is capacity and capability to make the right options available to people when and where they need them, and improved data systems and prevalence insights can be woven into strategic decision-making processes.
While some progress has been made, there is still more work to be done to ensure that services meet the needs of Māori and young people, with evidence consistently showing these populations are not always well supported by mental health and addiction services. Data and workforce plans are necessary work, and we need to prioritise actions that improve access and experience for Māori and young people.
We want to see sustained action from Health NZ to ensure equitable outcomes. While we acknowledge the complexity of this challenge, there is an opportunity to follow through on the work and insights from Te Aka Whai Ora to improve access and responsiveness of mental health and addiction services for Māori and whānau.
The recommendations Te Hiringa Mahara made in Kua Tīmata Te Haerenga and the Assessment of progress report show that this process can influence positive changes, and we are committed to ongoing monitoring of recommendations we will continue to make. Systems change takes a team effort, and we will continue to provide leadership in advocacy for changes that will contribute to better and equitable mental health and wellbeing outcomes for all people in Aotearoa.