Community urged to complete Census to secure millions

Community urged to complete Census to secure millions in health funding

Taranaki DHB is urging the community to get their census completed so that the Government is well informed when making funding and policy decisions that directly impact on the Taranaki population. The census information will assist to inform a range of Government departments, including the Ministry of Health.

Rosemary Clements, Taranaki DHB chief executive, says “Being counted in the census is really important to Taranaki DHB, as it lets the government know you live in Taranaki and ensures we receive the appropriate level of funding for your healthcare. Every completed census survey provides the DHB with healthcare funding for each person, each year for the next five years.”

The census is the official count of how many people and dwellings there are in New Zealand. The Ministry of Health’s ‘Population-Based Funding Formula’ is a key mechanism to ensure Taranaki DHB is provided with the appropriate funds to deliver healthcare for thousands of people using its services throughout the Taranaki region. Information from the census helps determine how billions of dollars of government funding is spent across New Zealand, including hospitals, schools, roads, and public transport.

Mrs Clements explains “On Tuesday 6 March we can all make a difference to health funding if we take part in building that snapshot for New Zealand. It only takes 10-20 minutes and the information you give is used to help plan and provide the healthcare services you deserve.”

This year the census information is largely collected online, so once households receive their special access code they can go straight to the census website to fill out their survey. For people who would prefer a paper form they can request one by contacting 0800 CENSUS (0800 236 787).

Mrs Clements explains “As a hospital we have a collective responsibility to ensure a form is completed for all of our patients. To ensure that occurs, a census pack will be provided to every person staying overnight in Base and Hawera hospitals on Tuesday 6 March.

We encourage people who know they’re going to be in hospital on census night to complete their information before their stay with us, however we will have staff on hand to help patients complete their census form if they are yet to do so (either online or on paper).”

Mrs Clements says “Statistics NZ do a wonderful job trying to get everybody to complete their census, and we’re asking you to help and ensure everyone living in Taranaki is counted. Your health counts, so please make sure you and your whānau are counted on or before 6 March.”

For more information about the 2018 Census visit www.census.govt.nz

ENDS

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