Key documents - National Bowel Screening Programme

In 2016, Cabinet delegated authority to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Health to approve National Bowel Screening Programme Business Cases. This is the 2018/19 Business Case. It updates and adds to the National Bowel Screening Programme Business Case approved in August 2016.

• National Bowel Screening Programme 2018/19 Business Case (pdf, 1.7 MB)

March 2019: In 2016, Cabinet delegated authority to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Health to approve National Bowel Screening Programme Business Cases. This is the Business Case for the National Screening Solution. It sets out how the Ministry will spend the contingency funding set aside in Budget 2016, and therefore updates and adds to the National Bowel Screening Programme Business Case approved in August 2016.

• National Screening Solution Business Case (Warning large file - pdf, 21 MB)

The colonoscopy wait time indicators (CWTI) record the percentage of symptomatic patients (people with visible signs of bowel ill-health) receiving an urgent colonoscopy within 14 days or less (target 90 percent), the percentage of symptomatic patients receiving a non-urgent colonoscopy within 42 days or less (target 70 percent), and the percentage of symptomatic patients receiving a surveillance colonoscopy within 84 days or less (target 70 percent) by district health board (DHB). The Ministry of Health considers CWTI as part of its assessment of a DHB's readiness to join the National Bowel Screening Programme, as a means to measure the DHBs capacity and capability to undertake additional colonoscopies required for a proportion of bowel screening participants.

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Waiting Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to December 2021 (pdf, 100 KB) (Word 100 KB), - published April 2022
• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Waiting Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to October 2021 (pdf, 100 KB)  (Word, 27 KB) ,  – published January 2022

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Waiting Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to July 2021 (pdf, 100 KB), 

        (Word, 27 KB) – published January 2022

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Waiting Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to April 2021 (pdf, 95 KB), 

        (Word, 14 KB) – published June 2021

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Waiting Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to March 2021 (pdf, 101 KB), 

        (Word, 14 KB) – published May 2021

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to February 2021 (pdf, 97 KB)

        (Word, 27 KB) – published April 2021

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to January 2021 (pdf, 92 KB), 

        (Word, 14 KB) – published March 2021

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to December 2020 (pdf, 92 KB), 

        (Word, 28 KB)  – published February 2021

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to November 2020 (pdf, 142 KB), 

        (Word, 28 KB) – published January 2021

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to September 2020 (pdf, 108 KB), 

        (Word, 98 KB)  – published November 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to August 2020 (pdf, 94 KB), 

        (Word, 14 KB) – published October 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait time Indicator 3 Month Trend to July 2020 (pdf, 95 KB), 

        (Word, 14 KB)  – published September 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait time Indicator 3 Month Trend to June 2020 (pdf, 95 KB), 

        (Word, 14 KB) – published September 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to May 2020 (pdf, 200 KB), 

        (Word, 60 KB) – published July 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to April 2020 (pdf, 164 KB), 

         (Word, 33 KB)– published July 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to March 2020 (pdf, 164 KB), 

        (Word, 32 KB) – published July 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to January 2020 (pdf, 164 KB), 

        (Word, 33 KB) – published July 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to December 2019 (pdf, 164 KB), 

        (Word, 33 KB) – published July 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to November 2019 (pdf, 204 KB), 

        (Word, 28 KB) – published July 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to October 2019 (pdf, 204 KB), 

        (Word, 29 KB) – published July 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to September 2019 (pdf, 204 KB), 

       (Word, 29 KB) – published July 2020

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to August 2019 (pdf, 198 KB), 

        (Word, 21 KB) – published December 2019

• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to July 2019 (pdf, 943 KB) – published October 2019
• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to June 2019 (pdf, 838 KB) – published August 2019
• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to May 2019 (pdf, 123 KB) – published July 2019
• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to April 2019 (pdf, 126 KB) – published June 2019
• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to March 2019 (pdf, 119 KB) – published June 2019
• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to February 2019 (pdf, 127 KB) – published June 2019
• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to January 2019 (pdf, 258 KB) – published March 2019
• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to September 2018 (pdf, 98 KB) – published November 2018
• Colonoscopy Diagnostic Wait Time Indicator 3 Month Trend to June 2018 (pdf, 595 KB) – published October 2018

October 2018: In 2016, Cabinet delegated authority to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Health to approve National Bowel Screening Programme Business Cases. This is the 2017/18 Business Case. It updates and adds to the National Bowel Screening Programme Business Case approved in August 2016.

• National Bowel Screening Programme 2017/18 Business Case (pdf, 8.6 MB)

September 2018: The publication details the circumstances that led to a group of people eligible for the Bowel Screening Pilot who were not invited when their addresses were updated on the Bowel Screening Pilot register.

• Review of Invitation Issues Following Address Update - Bowel Screening Pilot Programme (Word, 521 KB)
• Review of Invitation Issues Following Address Update - Bowel Screening Pilot Programme (PDF, 1.9 MB)

March 2017: This document sets out the age range and positivity threshold (the threshold which will trigger a positive test result) which have been set for the National Bowel Screening Programme, and explains the decision making processes and evidence behind them.

• Age Range and Positivity Threshold for the National Bowel Screening Programme (docx, 345 KB)

June 2019: The Ministry has produced an updated benefits realisation plan for the National Bowel Screening Programme (NBSP) that lists the benefits of the NBSP, describes how the benefits will be measured and provides the dates of when the benefits will be measured. The NBSP Benefits Realisation Plan v1.2 helps provide information to show the health outcomes for New Zealanders.

• National Bowel Screening Programme Benefits Realisation Plan V1.2 (pdf, 1.13 MB)

August 2016: This Business Case was approved by Cabinet and sets out the justification, proposed approach, timing and cost of procuring a national bowel screening programme and also sets out the local context, proposed approach, timing and costs for the first implementation phase of the national bowel screening programme.

• Executive summary (pdf, 6.9 MB)
• Introduction (pdf, 3.7 MB)
• The strategic case (pdf, 9.29 MB)
• The economic case (pdf, 6.06 MB)
• Commercial case (pdf, 1.98 MB)
• Financial case (pdf, 1.26 MB)
• Management case (pdf, 2.8 MB)
• Tranche 1: Executive summary (pdf, 1.64 MB)
• Tranche 1: Implementation and strategic context (pdf, 5.05 MB)
• Tranche 1: Commercial case, Financial case and Management case (pdf, 3.91 MB)
• Appendices 1-10 (pdf, 9.02 MB)
• Appendices 11-22 (pdf, 5.8 MB)

March 2019: This Health Report seeks the approval of the National Bowel Screening Programme’s National Screening Solution Business Case from the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Health. Approval from both Ministers enabled the Ministry draw down contingency funding set aside in Budget 2016.

• HR20181131 National Screening Solution Business Case (pdf, 5 MB)

October 2018: This is a Health Report seeking the approval of the 2017/18 National Bowel Screening Programme Business Case from the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Health.

• Health Report - Call against National Bowel Screening Programme Business Case tagged contingency 2017/18 (pdf, 930 KB)

July 2018: This Health Report provided information to the Minister of Health about the final report and recommendations of the Independent Assurance Review for the National Bowel Screening Programme.

• Independent Assurance Review for the National Bowel Screening Programme (pdf, 14.5 MB)

June 2018: Between December 2017 and June 2018, the Minister of Health regularly met Ministry officials to discuss the National Bowel Screening Programme. This is the June 2018 Health Report.

• NBSP Minister’s meeting 11 June 2018 (pdf, 2.7 MB)

May 2018: This Health Report provided an update to the Minister of Health about coding issues in the bowel screening pilot.

• Coding issues (pdf, 630 KB)

April 2018: Between December 2017 and June 2018, the Minister of Health regularly met Ministry officials to discuss the National Bowel Screening Programme. This is the April 2018 Health Report.

• NBSP Minister’s meeting 30 April 2018 (pdf, 2.9 MB)

April 2018: This Health Report briefed the Minister prior to a meeting with Associate Professor Michael Schultz, President of the New Zealand Society of Gastroenterology.

• Meeting with NZ Society of Gastroenterology (pdf, 9.4 MB)

April 2018: This Health Report provided an update to the Minister of Health about the invitation issues in the bowel screening pilot.

• Invitation issues (pdf, 711 KB)

March 2018: Between December 2017 and June 2018, the Minister of Health regularly met Ministry officials to discuss the National Bowel Screening Programme. This is the March 2018 Health Report (there was no February meeting).

• NBSP Minister’s meeting 19 March 2018 (pdf, 726 KB)

February 2018: These Health Reports provided advice to the Minister of Health about potential reviewers to sit on the Independent Assurance Review for the National Bowel Screening Programme.

• Advice on independent expert reviewers (pdf, 1015 KB)
• Advice on independent expert reviewer (pdf, 794 KB)

February 2018: This Health Report provided further information to the Minister of Health about how potential participants in the bowel screening pilot had not been invited, and discussed the commissioning of the Independent Assurance Review for the National Bowel Screening Programme.

• Independent Assurance Review for the National Bowel Screening Programme and further information on the ‘address override’ issue (pdf, 607 KB)

January 2018: Between December 2017 and June 2018, the Minister of Health regularly met Ministry officials to discuss the National Bowel Screening Programme. This is the January 2018 Health Report.

• NBSP Minister’s meeting 30 January 2018 (pdf, 1.6 MB)

January 2018: The Ministry of Health provided the Minister of Health with a briefing outlining the timing of the NBSP implementation.

• NBSP Timeline (pdf, 597 KB)

January 2018: The Ministry of Health provided the Minister of Health with a briefing explaining the two tests available for bowel screening and why the FIT was chosen.

• NBSP Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) and Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (pdf, 2.7 MB)

December 2017: The Ministry of Health provided the Minister of Health with copies of two independent reports about information technology (IT) systems to support the development of the NBSP National Screening Solution. The reports were provided as attachments.

• Copy of Accenture and EY (IT) Reports (pdf, 2.9 MB)
• Accenture report (pdf, 1.7 MB)
• EY report (pdf, 10 MB)

March 2017: A Health Report drafted by Ministry officials to Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Health. This report provided a Cabinet paper to be signed and submitted to the Cabinet State Sector Reform and Expenditure Control Cabinet Committee (SEC) for their consideration on 22 March 2017.

• Cabinet Paper – National Bowel Screening Programme Progress (pdf, 2.85 MB)

February 2017: A Health Report drafted by Ministry officials to Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Health. This report provided a Cabinet paper to be signed and submitted to the Cabinet State Sector Reform and Expenditure Control Cabinet Committee (SEC) for their consideration on 8 February 2017.

• Cabinet Paper - National Bowel Screening Programme Extension of Capital Contingency (pdf, 3.08 MB)

August 2016: A Health Report drafted by Ministry Officials to Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Health. This report provided a Cabinet paper to be signed and submitted to the Cabinet Sate Sector Reform and Expenditure Control Cabinet Committee (SEC) for their consideration on 24 August 2016.

• Key points Cabinet Paper - Bowel Screening in New Zealand - Next Steps (pdf, 2.03 MB)

November 2015: A Health Report drafted by Ministry Officials to Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Health. This report provided a Cabinet paper on consultation on a national bowel screening programme to be signed and submitted to the Cabinet Social Policy Committee for their consideration on 2 December 2015.

• Progress towards a National Bowel Screening Programme for New Zealand (pdf, 74 KB)

December 2017: A Health Report drafted by Ministry officials to Hon Dr David Clark, Minister of Health. This report provided a Cabinet paper to be signed and submitted to the Cabinet Business Committee (CBC) for their consideration on 20 December 2017.

• Cabinet Paper – National Bowel Screening programme Extension of Capital Contingency (pdf, 3.8 MB)

December 2017: Between December 2017 and June 2018, the Minister of Health regularly met Ministry officials to discuss the National Bowel Screening Programme. This is the December 2017 Health Report.

• NBSP Minister’s meeting 4 December 2017 (pdf, 720 KB)

November 2017: This Health Report provided the first update to the Minister of Health and further information about the eligible participants in the bowel screening pilot who had not been invited to participate.

• Withdrawal of eligible people in the bowel screening pilot (pdf, 745 KB)
• Communications plan: Issue relating to address updates in bowel screening registers (pdf, 686 KB)

November 2017: In November 2017, the Ministry of Health provided the Minister of Health with a comprehensive briefing about the National Bowel Screening Programme.

• NBSP Operational Matters (pdf, 3.4 MB)

November 2017: This Health Report told the Minister of Health that some eligible participants in the bowel screening Pilot had not been invited to participate.

• Bowel screening pilot’s incorrect withdrawal of eligible people (pdf, 3.3 MB)

October 2017: This Health Report provided an overview of the National Bowel Screening Programme to the Minister of Health ahead of an interview on Morning Report (Radio New Zealand).

• Briefing on NBSP for Morning Report on 1 November 2017 (pdf, 539 KB)

December 2017: The Cabinet Business Committee (CBC) paper presented by Hon Dr David Clark, Minister of Health on 20 December 2017. This Cabinet paper sought agreement to extend the Budget 2016 capital contingency until December 2018, and noted the information technology procurement process.

• National Bowel Screening programme Extension of Capital Contingency (pdf, 219 KB)
• National Bowel Screening programme Extension of Capital Contingency (docx, 55 KB)

Public Sector Agencies are required to complete Cost Benefit Analysis Templates as part of the Budget process for the Treasury. This document organises key information in a logical and methodical way. A Cost Benefit Analysis measures the impact of a decision on the public at large. This is the Budget 2017 submission for the National Bowel Screening Programme.

• National Bowel Screening Programme - Cost Benefit Analysis Template (pdf, 319 KB)

March 2017: A Cabinet paper presented by Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Health presented to Cabinet Sate Sector Reform and Expenditure Control Cabinet Committee (SEC) for their consideration on 22 March 2017. This paper provided a progress update on implementing the National Bowel Screening Programme and sought approval to extend the development of the national information technology solution for up to a year.

• National Bowel Screening Programme Progress (pdf, 1.02 MB)

February 2017: A Cabinet paper presented by Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Health presented to Cabinet Sate Sector Reform and Expenditure Control Cabinet Committee (SEC) for their consideration on 8 February 2017. This paper sought approval to extend the Budget 2016 capital contingency until February 2018.

• National Bowel Screening Programme Extension of Capital Contingency (pdf, 2.99 MB)

August 2016: A Cabinet Paper presented by Hon Dr Jonanthan Coleman, Minister of Health to the Cabinet Sate Sector Reform and Expenditure Control Cabinet Committee (SEC) for their consideration on 24 August 2016. This paper sought committee approval of the Business Case for a national bowel screening programme and the time frames required for a full national roll-out.

• Bowel Screening in New Zealand - Next Steps (pdf, 6.86 MB)

November 2015: A Cabinet Paper presented by Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Health to the Cabinet Social Policy Committee for their consideration on 2 December 2015. This paper asked the Committee to note the outcomes of health sector consultation on a national bowel screening programme and the Ministry of Health is preparing a business case which will be submitted to Ministers in February 2016 as part of final Budget 2016 considerations.

• Progress towards a national bowel screening programme for New Zealand (pdf, 352 KB)

October 2018: Public Sector Agencies are required to complete Budget Initiative Summary Templates as part of Budget process for the Treasury. This document is a high level summary of of the National Bowel Screening Programme initiative included in Budget 2016.

• Budget Initiative Summary Template: National Bowel Screening Programme (pdf, 3.39 MB)

December 2017: A copy of the Cabinet Business Committee (CBC) Minute dated 20 December 2017 approving Hon Dr David Clark, Minister of Health’s request to extend the Budget 2016 capital contingency until December 2018.

• Cabinet Business Committee Minute National Bowel Screening programme Extension of Capital Contingency (pdf, 644 KB)

February 2017: A copy of the Cabinet Social Policy Committee (SOC) Minute dated 8 February 2017 approving Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Health request to extend the Budget 2016 capital contingency until February 2018.

• Cabinet minutes - National Bowel Screening Programme Extension of Capital Contingency (pdf, 765 KB)

March 2016: A copy of the Cabinet Minute

• Cabinet minutes - National Bowel Screening Programme Progress (pdf, 116 KB)

October 2015: Public Sector Agencies are required to complete Cost Benefit Analysis Templates as part of the Budget process for the Treasury. This document organises key information in a logical and methodical way. A Cost Benefit Analysis measures the impact of a decision on the public at large.

• Cost Benefit Analysis Template: National Bowel Screening Programme (pdf, 5.9 MB)