Memorandum Of Understanding Signed

A Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Health and representatives from nursing organisations and colleges throughout New Zealand was officially signed today.

The document signifies a new collaborative working relationship whereby the nursing profession in New Zealand can pro-actively contribute to health policy and the development, implementation and evaluation of government initiatives to improve the health and well-being of New Zealanders.

Director General of Health Dr Karen Poutasi said this document formalises the benefits that can be gained through involving the nursing sector in policy development from the outset.

"The nursing sector is the largest in the health workforce and its important that we have a two-way relationship whereby they can contribute towards development and implementation of ideas to best meet the needs of the sector."

"This arrangement will ensure development of quality health policy solutions that are cost effective and sustainable.

"It will promote a greater understanding throughout the nursing community of health systems policy and development, it will assist the Ministry to understand the key issues affecting the health and disability sector and will also assist the implementation of policy in the health and disability sector."

The memorandum will be reviewed after 12 months.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The objectives of the relationship are to:

provide health leadership and nursing perspectives into the early development of health policy assist the Ministry to understand the key issues affecting the health and disability sector assist the implementation of policy in the health and disability sector promote greater understanding throughout the nursing community of health systems policy and developments facilitate the development of the nursing profession in order to improve the health and well-being of peoples of New Zealand.

The current signatories on the Memorandum of Understanding are:

Ministry of Health Nurse Executives of New Zealand The College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) Inc The National Council of Maori Nurses Director of Mental Health Nursing Nurse Education in the Tertiary Sector Independent Nurse Practitioners Association Australian and New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses Samoan Nurses Organisation of New Zealand (Inc) Occupational Health Nurses Association.

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