AUSTRALIA | The Digital Health Association (DHA) has warned that drastic cuts to Health New Zealand's digital services could severely impact the country's health system.
Following the announcement of 1,120 redundancies in Health New Zealand's data and digital teams - nearly half the workforce - DHA chief executive Ryl Jensen voiced grave concerns.
"These staff keep our ageing health IT systems running," said Jensen.
"Without regular maintenance and updates, we risk major system disruptions that could affect front-line patient care."
New Zealand's health system currently uses over 6,000 IT applications, many of which require urgent attention. Jensen noted that while progress has been made in the past two years to better connect health systems, these cuts threaten to undo that work.
"We're still dealing with 20 different health board systems, which creates uneven healthcare delivery across regions. The £380 million reduction in digital funding from Budget 2024 has already forced many modernisation projects to stop," she said.
The DHA recently alerted Health Select Committee Chair Sam Uffindell about the risks these cuts pose to New Zealand's health system.
Jensen highlighted the contradiction between the Government's stated health priorities and actions.
"The Government's Policy Statement emphasises the importance of digital platforms in healthcare, yet these cuts suggest otherwise. The mixed messages create uncertainty about the Minister's true intentions for this portfolio."
She suggested that public-private partnerships could help address the gaps.
"The private sector has the expertise and drive to work with the Government on affordable solutions to improve our health system. We need the Government to engage with us."
The DHA stressed that New Zealand risks falling behind in healthcare delivery and patient outcomes without proper investment in digital health infrastructure.
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