Media centre

• Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora leads the day-to-day running of the health system and unites the 20 former District Health Boards, other shared services agencies, and Te Hiringa Hauora - Health Promotion Agency under one organisation. It leads and coordinates the delivery of health services, including:
  • hospital and specialist services
  •  the National Public Health Service
  •  clinical governance
  •  community services
  • primary and community care.

• Manatū Hauora – the Ministry of Health is chief advisor to the Minister of Health and advises Government on funding and system settings, as well as developing the policy and laws needed. It focuses on strategy, policy, regulation and monitoring outcomes achieved by the system as a whole. 

  The Ministry of Health hosts the Public Health Agency, which is responsible for public health policy, strategy, monitoring, and intelligence.

• Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People works with the disability community, Māori, and Government to help transform the disability system in line with the Enabling Good Lives approach. 

  The initial work of Whaikaha was to maintain continuity in disability support services. Other agencies will also continue to support disabled people and their whanau.

• Te Aho o Te Kahu - the Cancer Control Agency is a departmental agency reporting directly to the Minister of Health. Te Aho o Te Kahu provides oversight of cancer outcomes for the health system. The Agency is accountable for ensuring transparency of progress towards the goals and outcomes in the National Cancer Action Plan. These goals are focused on fewer cancers, better survival rates, and equity in treatment.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

• Health New Zealand manages the health system day-to-day, planning and commissioning services for the whole population via its four regions. Members of our media team are based across the country.
• All service delivery and operational questions should be directed to Health New Zealand, including for the National Public Health Service.
• The National Public Health Service within Health New Zealand is responsible for population health, including the management of outbreaks and pandemics, health promotion, health prevention and health protection.
• The Health New Zealand media team can save you time and trouble trying to track down medical staff and researchers who specialise in the subject you are covering. Often we can put you in contact with a busy practitioner who may not otherwise understand the demands of your deadlines.
• Under no circumstances may interviews, filming or photography be carried out on the hospital sites without permission from the media team.
• If you carry out filming or photography without permission, our hospital security teams will ask you to leave the site immediately. For more information see information for media visiting hospitals below.

Manatū Hauora - Ministry of Health

• The Ministry of Health deals with strategy, policy, regulation and advice to Government. It is also involved with monitoring health system performance and national health outcomes.
• Questions about public health policy, strategy, monitoring and intelligence should be sent to the Ministry.
• Any questions about the Public Health Agency should be sent to the Ministry.

Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People

• Whaikaha is responsible for monitoring disability support services and for driving positive change for disabled people. Questions regarding these services can be sent to Whaikaha.
• Addressing equity for all disabled people by improving health outcomes, access to and accessibility of mainstream health services is still a Ministry of Health responsibility. The Ministry is also responsible for primary health services for disabled people. Health NZ has the overall lead on hospital services for disabled people.

Te Aho o Te Kahu - the Cancer Control Agency

• Te Aho o Te Kahu provides national leadership of the cancer system. While some parts of cancer delivery and prevention are shared across other health agencies, Te Aho o Te Kahu takes a leading role on most cancer issues. Questions about those issues should be sent here.

• The media team must approve access by the media to any of our hospitals for professional duties.
• In consideration of the rights to confidentiality of our patients, their families and our staff the media team will confirm all recording and interviews on hospital property before they occur.
• Patient or parental permission alone is insufficient consent as we need to consider patient safety, privacy for other patients and other factors such as infection control risks and staff concerns.
• Please let us know your needs in advance. If your plan includes photography of a patient, family or a staff member at our hospitals, we can obtain photo consent on your behalf in advance. This will avoid delays.
• The media team will liaise with our clinicians and the patient to arrange a mutually convenient time and location for your interview and will set up where to meet you.
• A member of the local comms team or security will escort you to the patient or staff member you wish to interview.
• If you carry out filming or photography without permission, our hospital security teams will ask you to leave the site immediately.

• Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora: hnzmedia@tewhatuora.govt.nz
• Ministry of Health - Manatū Hauora: media@health.govt.nz
• Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People: media@whaikaha.govt.nz
• Te Aho o Te Kahu - Cancer Control Agency: teaho.media@teaho.govt.nz

Agencies work together to respond to media queries. We know some media queries may relate to multiple agencies, and we will try to find the best place to answer them.

Under the Official Information Act 1982, our information is available on request unless there is a good reason for withholding it. Information on how to make a request is on our OIA Requests page.

These are some of the formal descriptions why we might withhold information under the Act:

• Section 9(2)(a) – to protect the privacy of natural persons, including the deceased.
• Section 18(d) – the information requested is or soon will be publicly available.
• Section 18(e) – the document containing the information requested does not exist or cannot be found.
• Section 18(g) – the information requested is not held by the organisation.

To learn more, go to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is committed to being as transparent as possible with the media.

When managing requests for information or comment this is done in line with our obligations under the Health Information Privacy Code and the Official Information Act.

Any request for comment about a patient’s care or treatment would be considered under our Privacy Waiver Policy.

The decision on if a privacy waiver can be accepted or not will be made by our clinical team in consultation with our legal, privacy and media teams.

When considering a privacy waiver factors to be weighed up include the wishes of the individual against clinical, privacy and legal matters.  However, patient safety will be our overarching guide.  

Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora Privacy Waiver Policy (PDF, 230 KB)

Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora Privacy Waiver Form (PDF, 354 KB)

How we use social media 

We use social media to share health updates, health system information, feedback opportunities, new content from our channels, insights into our work and job vacancies, and other relevant content. 

We can’t provide health advice on social media. Consult your GP or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for health concerns. Dial 111 in emergencies. 

If we perceive a risk of harm to someone, we may alert the Police or Netsafe. However, our accounts aren’t monitored 24/7 and aren’t for emergencies. If there’s immediate danger, call 111 or seek mental health services. 

Comments and questions 

We appreciate your feedback but can’t respond to all comments individually. Our accounts are monitored weekdays 9am-5pm and occasionally outside these hours. 

We may share third-party content for informational purposes, without endorsing its accuracy. Following or liking a page doesn’t imply endorsement. 

Our employees may participate in online forums. Their views are personal, even when they identify as our staff. 

Our staff acting in an official capacity on social media will be responding through a Health New Zealand social media account, on behalf of the organisation. If an employee is speaking on their own social media account in an official capacity for Health New Zealand, they will make this clear in the content. 

Enforcing community guidelines 

Health New Zealand reserves the right to:  

• decide what content we think is inappropriate
• hide or remove inappropriate content
• ban users from social media communities. 

 We may delete content which contains:  

• racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other hate speech 
• statements that might be defamatory
• confidential information (including personal details or health information) 
• misinformation or disinformation
• spam or advertising 
• offensive language, abusive language, or threats 
• statements that are off-topic or derail the conversation
• nudity, pornography, or child abuse 
• excessive violence 
• content that is illegal, gives instructions on illegal activity, or encourages people to break the law. 

If you find content on any of our accounts which breaks these guidelines, please tell us.   

We may use comments and messages submitted to our social media pages for reporting, after removing names and other personal details. 

Email hnzsocialmedia@health.govt.nz if you have concerns or questions about our social media, or any of our content. 

Health New Zealand reserves the right to: 

• decide what content we think is inappropriate
• hide or remove inappropriate content
• ban users from social media communities.
   

We may delete content which contains: 

• racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other hate speech 
• statements that might be defamatory
• confidential information (including personal details or health information) 
• misinformation 
• spam or advertising 
• offensive language, abusive language, or threats 
• statements that are off-topic or derail the conversation
• nudity, pornography, or child abuse 
• excessive violence 
• content that is illegal, gives instructions on illegal activity, or encourages people to break the law.