‘The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition’. This is a founding principle of the World Health Organisation which was set up 75 years ago. But the reality is that there is a huge disparity in access to healthcare across the world and within countries.
New Zealand is one of the many countries where this so-called ‘postcode lottery’ of care is evident. Following an extensive review which highlighted the chronic inequities in the healthcare system, particularly in relation to Maori and Pacific people, the government in April 2021 announced a major overhaul of the public health system. In July 2022 the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act took effect establishing four new entities to replace the previous system which was structured around 20 regional District Health Boards.
In episode 5 of Transformational Healthcare Leadership, Dr Mark O’Brien talks to Stephen McKernan who was tasked with leading the New Zealand Health Reform Transition Unit. In their conversation Stephen talks to Mark about the scale of the challenge and what approach he took to the design and delivery of this new system which aims to create a national health system, where the treatment people get is not determined by where they live.
This podcast was recorded in 2022.
Featuring:
Mark O’Brien, Programme Director of the Oxford Healthcare Leadership Programme -www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/about-us/people/mark-obrien
Stephen McKernan, Health system design specialist - https://www.ey.com/en_nz/people/stephen-mckernan
• Learn more about the Oxford Healthcare Leadership Programme - https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/programmes/executive-education/campus-open-programmes/oxford-healthcare-leadership-programme
• Explore Oxford Answers for more insights from Saïd Business School on the challenges and opportunities leaders of the future need to consider in an age of digital, social and environmental disruption - www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/oxford-answers
• Follow us on Twitter @OxfordSBS and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/school/4476/admin/
Credits:
Transformational Healthcare Leadership is produced by Chris Ashmore Media – www.chrisashmore.media
