The New Zealand (NZ) health system is being confronted with emerging patterns of health needs, which differ from those, they have responded to in the past. These differences can be attributed to changes in our demographics (an aging population), and people suffering form long-term and concurrent conditions due to societal impact on lifestyle and diet. A traditional health system model focusing on secondary care is no longer sustainable or appropriate, due to the increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, in a population, which is becoming increasingly obeseogenic (Howatson & Wall, 2014)(Suckling, Connolly, Mueller & Russell, 2015).
There is very little peer reviewed literature on how different …show more content…
However, a move towards ensuring that health care and social care are on a horizontal continuum, is providing a greater opportunity for PHDs to be involved in contributing to improved health outcomes (Maeseneer et al., 2008). PHDs role in promoting the overall wellbeing of people through providing knowledge and information about diet, nutrition and lifestyle is an important element in health outcomes, particularly given the finding that most people with a long-term condition will suffer from more than one condition at a time (Mays, …show more content…
The conditions that are creating the greatest financial and resource burden on our health system are preventable conditions, and with NZ’s total expenditure per capita on health increasing 100% in the past 10 years, an urgent review of our current model was needed (WHO, 2014). This review has led to the recent release of the New Zealand Health Strategy 2016 which is a 10 year strategy providing a new direction for obtaining optimal health outcomes for the NZ population (MoH, 2016). The strategy includes eight principles and a Roadmap of Actions, with one of the principles aimed at encouraging a collaborative cross-section approach to health promotion and disease prevention. Action Point 5 focuses on MoH and DHBs increasing efforts in the areas of prevention, early intervention, rehabilitation and wellbeing in relation to long-term conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. There is also an action, which involves implementing initiatives, which prevent and manage obesity in children under 18 years of age (MoH, 2016). Given the focus on this new strategy, it is reasonable to suggest that PHDs will hold a critical role in its delivery and implementation, leading to an increased importance of their role in the health
There is very little peer reviewed literature on how different …show more content…
However, a move towards ensuring that health care and social care are on a horizontal continuum, is providing a greater opportunity for PHDs to be involved in contributing to improved health outcomes (Maeseneer et al., 2008). PHDs role in promoting the overall wellbeing of people through providing knowledge and information about diet, nutrition and lifestyle is an important element in health outcomes, particularly given the finding that most people with a long-term condition will suffer from more than one condition at a time (Mays, …show more content…
The conditions that are creating the greatest financial and resource burden on our health system are preventable conditions, and with NZ’s total expenditure per capita on health increasing 100% in the past 10 years, an urgent review of our current model was needed (WHO, 2014). This review has led to the recent release of the New Zealand Health Strategy 2016 which is a 10 year strategy providing a new direction for obtaining optimal health outcomes for the NZ population (MoH, 2016). The strategy includes eight principles and a Roadmap of Actions, with one of the principles aimed at encouraging a collaborative cross-section approach to health promotion and disease prevention. Action Point 5 focuses on MoH and DHBs increasing efforts in the areas of prevention, early intervention, rehabilitation and wellbeing in relation to long-term conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. There is also an action, which involves implementing initiatives, which prevent and manage obesity in children under 18 years of age (MoH, 2016). Given the focus on this new strategy, it is reasonable to suggest that PHDs will hold a critical role in its delivery and implementation, leading to an increased importance of their role in the health