On Friday 22 March, over 100 attendees, including 70 HealthPathways members and delegates from Streamliners, gathered for an important hui. This event aimed to forge stronger relationships and develop strategies to accelerate nationally aligned HealthPathways in collaboration with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora.

The New Zealand HealthPathways Community, which began in Canterbury years ago, has expanded across the country, and globally. Each site operates with some independence to tailor pathways to local needs. An increasing focus on collaborative national pathway development with a unified approach is helping to ensure equity in health delivery regardless of location, while still accommodating necessary local variation. 

Executives Stella Ward - Streamliners CEO, Dr Penny Andrew, and the members of the national HealthPathways team led the discussions, along with system improvement and innovation experts. Attendees engaged in extensive workshops to develop a collective understanding of the concepts and goals, identify responsibilities, and establish timelines for implementing national pathways.

The hui provided a valuable opportunity for attendees to connect. Participant feedback showed they appreciated the chance to build a sense of trust and shared direction, essential for effective collaboration. 

The event addressed the challenging context of ongoing health reforms and pressures on the public service, underscoring the need for a cohesive strategy.

The global trend towards pathway sharing emerged as a crucial theme. Presentations included experiences from Wales and Queensland, two comparable regions. Wales has implemented default pathway sharing, while Queensland focuses on regional coordination and better planning processes. These insights offered valuable lessons for New Zealand’s journey towards creating more nationally aligned pathways.

Solutions agreed upon at the hui included enhancing engagement with clinical experts and streamlining the planning process for pathway development. Attendees recognised the importance of reducing minor updates and focusing on significant changes to improve efficiency. 

Follow-up work is underway to maintain momentum towards achieving the agreed solutions. 

The event marked a significant step towards supporting the development of a cohesive and equitable healthcare system in Aotearoa, reflecting a global movement towards shared pathways and collaborative solutions.

More information 

If you’re a member of the HealthPathways Community and would like more information about the Aotearoa HealthPathways Hui, please contact your community success manager. 

If you’d like to know more about HealthPathways, or if your health jurisdiction hasn’t yet joined the HealthPathways Community, please:

• See HealthPathways Global for an overview 
• Email info@healthpathwaysglobal.org or phone:
  • Within the United Kingdom: +44 20 3519 1964
  • Within Australia: +61 7 3559 2744
  • Within New Zealand: +64 3 595 2830