Today marks the first day of the transition to Health New Zealand.

The 20 district health boards which ran services for individual areas around the country are being replaced by one new body, Health NZ, which will instead plan services for the whole population.

Health NZ will have four regional divisions but also district offices.

There is also a new Māori Health Authority being introduced from today.

The country's 30 primary health organisations - large regional networks of GPs and primary care - will also be ditched. Read more here.

But what does that mean for the Bay of Plenty?

'Very little,” according to interim BOP district director Pete Chandler.

'At our district level of the health system very little will be different today.

'We will still be providing health services at community level such as GP practices and kaupapa Māori Hauora right through to hospital level care at Whākatane and Tauranga Hospitals.

'Change at our district level of health system will be gradual over the coming months working in partnership with Māori Health Authority and the newly appointed Iwi Māori Partnership Board for Te Moana a Toi, Te Poari Hauora, on health priorities for our communities.”

You can find more information Home | Health New Zealand (hnz.govt.nz)

Former Chair of Te Rūnanga Hauora Māori o Te Moana a Toi Linda Steel says the IMPB is the successor to the Rūnanga, which has operated for 22 years.

'While the structures and staff will undergo changes during this time of transition, the kaupapa remains the same as that started by a group of kaumatua and kuia decades ago, better health outcomes for whānau can only be driven by equal partnership as described in the principles of Te Tiriti,” she says.

'Māori don't want to just experience the system, we need to play a crucial role in the decision-making.”

Fifteen iwi representatives have been appointed to the Iwi-Māori Partnership Board, with an opportunity for other iwi representatives and mātāwaka to be appointed in the near future.

The IMPB will supply the MHA with insights into the lived experiences of whānau in Te Moana a Toi.

'As direct representatives of their iwi, the appointees of the IMPB have a clear line of communication to the needs of their whānau. Collating data and vital information from these ‘flax roots' and disseminating it to central agencies such as the MHA and Health New Zealand offers an opportunity for responsive decision-making based on real-life outcomes,” says Linda.

'The contribution tthe IMPB will make acknowledges the long-held relationship between the Rūnanga and the Bay of Plenty District Health Board (to be renamed Health New Zealand); a special relationship which is unique to our region.”

The successful appointees to the BOP IMB are:

Ngāi te Rangi - Roimata Ah Sam

Ngāti Ranginui - Melanie Tata

Ngāti Pūkenga - Kipouaka Pukekura-Marsden

Waitaha - Carliza Nathan-Patuawa

Tapuika - Rutu Maxwell-Swinton

Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketu - Susan Elliott

Ngāti Whakahemo - Margaret Williams

Ngāti Mākino - Te Ata Ngatai

Ngāti Manawa - John Porima

Ngāti Whare - Jane Nicholas

Ngāti Awa - Jackie Copeland-Davis

Whakatōhea - Mariana Hudson

Ngāi Tai - Lucy Steel

Te Whānau a Apanui - Dayle Takitimu

Te Whānau ā Te Ehutu - Theresa Ngamoki

FAQs surrounding the health system change.

What are the agencies respective roles going to be?

Manatū Hauora – the Ministry of Health (MoH) is the chief advisor to the Minister of Health and continues to support the delivery of high-quality health services by advising the Government on funding and system settings and developing the policy and laws needed. It will focus on strategy, policy, regulation and monitoring the outcomes achieved by the system as a whole and will host the Public Health Agency, which will be responsible for public health policy, strategy, monitoring and intelligence.

Health New Zealand (HNZ) leads the day-to-day running of the health system and unites the 20 District Health Boards, shared services agencies and Te Hiringa Hauora under one national organisation. It leads and coordinates delivery of health services, coordinating efforts across the motu, including hospital and specialist services, the new National Public Health Service, clinical governance, and community services including primary and community care.

The Māori Health Authority (MHA), working in partnership with Manatū Hauora and Health New Zealand, is responsible for ensuring the health system delivers equitable outcomes for Māori. It has been set up as an independent statutory authority to drive improvement in hauora Māori.

Who do we approach about what?

From July 1, the Ministry of Health will provide leadership across the health system and government in relation to health and wellbeing.

It will focus on strategy, policy, regulation and monitoring the performance of, and health outcomes achieved by, the new health system to make sure it's delivering the best health services to New Zealanders.

This will be done with a focus on equitable health outcomes and meeting Te Tiriti o Waitangi responsibilities.

Hosting the Public Health Agency, it will be responsible for public health policy, strategy, monitoring and intelligence.

Some of the functions the Ministry was previously responsible for have been transferred, such as the National Immunisation Programme, the Health Infrastructure Unit, the COVID-19 response.

Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand will manage the health system day-to-day; plan and commission services for the whole population via four regional divisions.

It will pick up national operational level questions about the system, including the district and the new localities approach.

As an example, service delivery questions, which have previously sat with the Ministry, should be directed to HNZ in the first instance.

The National Public Health Service within HNZ will be responsible for population health, including the management of outbreaks and pandemics, health promotion, health prevention and health protection

Vaccination/immunisation and Covid-19 health response queries will also now sit with HNZ.

District queries (formerly at a DHB level) should still be directed to local media teams.

The Māori Health Authority

The Māori Health Authority will be responsible for ensuring the health system provides more equitable outcomes for Māori.

It has specific responsibilities in the new integrated health system, including planning and funding services designed specifically for Māori (such as kaupapa Māori services), and monitoring the performance of the entire health system to improve equity.

It will work with the Ministry of Health on strategy and policy issues of particular relevance to Māori, ensuring the Crown's commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi continues to underpin approaches to hauora.

It will work in partnership with Health New Zealand to plan and co-commission services, ensuring service design and priorities reflect the needs of Māori and of all New Zealand's diverse communities.

It will be responsible for ensuring the needs, interests, and aspirations of Māori communities are at the heart of the new health system, including through the new Iwi Māori Partnership Boards.

Ministry for Disabled People

The reforms of the Health system have provided an opportunity to review the current arrangements for working with, and supporting, the one in four New Zealanders who identify as disabled. There's more information here on the new Ministry for Disabled People.

The agencies will be able to talk you through where to direct questions around specific subject matter areas.