A case for change : Moral obligation and pursuit of quality
Executive Summary
It is patently evident that there has been fundamental thinking by Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB) about transformational changes which it aspires to effect in the provision and delivery of best in class healthcare services and improved population health for its constituent communities. Progress is being realised and it has set in place Ko Awatea as a Centre of Education, Improvement, and Innovation to assist and inform the District Health Board in its navigating pathways to achieve this transformation.
These are challenging times for all District Health Boards in New Zealand and there is considerable scope for further improvement. This is especially so in a time of economic stringency which may disproportionately affect the more disadvantaged communities that have a greater dependency on welfare benefits and public services. Funding health services has always been a challenge, but with the global financial crisis the situation is even more difficult with expectations of greater productivity but smaller budget increases.
Expectations and demands made of CMDHB are high and increasing. Longevity is not a problem if the elderly population is healthy. However, current trends suggest that needs for health-orientated services are likely to grow as the population ages. New medical and technological advances that further prolong and improve the quality of life are likely to further stress resources. Moreover, economic downturns are known to have their greatest negative effect on the poorest in society. It is very likely that the societal inequalities which are reflected in health inequities will be exacerbated. There is evidence that these inequalities are increasing.
The work to date and the way forward suggested by the paper is not just an academic exercise. Ensuring the future of the services provided by CMDHB is about keeping people as fit and healthy as possible, successfully tackling inequities, alleviating suffering, and bringing comfort, dignity and hope to people when they are at their most vulnerable. There is a danger that we forget, amidst all the discussions and statistics, economies and efficiencies that health services are there for people in distress, in need and in expectation of care and support which meet their needs.
