News about our latest events, projects and publications.
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Paengawhāwhā | April 2025
Tēnā koutou katoa,
For Te Tāhū Hauora Health Quality & Safety Commission, as for many across the health sector, the start of 2025 has been a period of change.
For us, one of the most significant changes has been the departure of our Tumuaki Chief Executive, Dr Peter Jansen, in March.
Peter’s decision to leave was not an easy one. It was prompted by ill health and the expectation of a prolonged period of treatment.
Peter has been a strong and visionary leader, and he leaves us stronger and well equipped for the future. We wish Peter and his family all the best as he continues his treatment.
While recruitment for a new CE progresses, so too does our work with clinicians, the wider health workforce, and consumers and whānau to improve health services across Aotearoa New Zealand. This newsletter highlights some of our recent work as well as upcoming engagement opportunities.
Thank you for your continued support of and engagement with our work.
Ngā mihi
Rae Lamb
Board Chair
Positive results from serious traumatic brain injury (sTBI) collaborative
A review has found that the sTBI collaborative has resulted in lasting service improvement initiatives that have optimised the assessment of brain injury for the most seriously injured New Zealanders.
It found that, at the collaborative sites, high volumes of major trauma patients are being appropriately assessed - ensuring that brain injuries are being identified earlier in the care journey.
Work is now underway to connect with teams at hospitals which weren’t part of the collaborative to share resources and support their local improvement initiatives.
Trauma Annual Report
The Trauma National Clinical Network annual report for 2023/24 shows the lowest fatality rate for major trauma since the New Zealand trauma system was established in 2012.
This work is led by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, partnering with Te Tāhū Hauora Health Quality & Safety Commission, the Accident Compensation Corporation, and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kōtahi.
See the full report on the Health New Zealand website.
Anticoagulation Stewardship Programme (ACSP) summary report
The Anticoagulation Stewardship Programme was initiated in 2022 to improve the safety and effectiveness of anticoagulant use in Aotearoa New Zealand’s healthcare system.
We’ve published a report presenting the main findings from testing in four hospitals across the country and outlining recommendations for future implementation and sustainability. 2024
Infection prevention and control (IPC) transitioning to Health NZ
We have led the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) programme since 2011. Now with the establishment of Health NZ as a nationwide organisation there is an opportunity for the IPC services and programmes to be managed in-house by Health NZ.
An IPC team is being established at Health NZ to take over responsibility for the IPC
programmes. Their work will be overseen by a new Health NZ National IPC Committee.
Reporting requirements will remain the same for districts, and the reporting dashboards will transition to Health NZ, to ensure continuity. We will continue our quality and safety monitoring role and continue to report the IPC quality and safety markers (QSMs).
The IPC programme will be transitioning to Health NZ by 30 June 2025.
There are some new opportunities and projects for consumers to become involved in and contribute to.
- Te Tāhū Hauora Health Quality & Safety Commission:
- Te Kāhui Mahi Ngātahi | Consumer Advisory Group – three vacancies
- Kōtuinga Kiritaki | Consumer Network – two vacancies
- Ngā Reo Māhuri | Young Voices Group – one vacancy
- Pacific Member for the Northern Regional Consumer Council – Health New Zealand| Te Whatu Ora
- Putting Patients First: Modernising health workforce regulation – public consultation
- Development of Assistant/Associate Psychologists role – Te Poari Kaimātai Hinengaro o Aotearoa | New Zealand Psychology Board survey
- Collaborative Aotearoa Telehealth Patient Voice survey
Save the date!
On 30 October, we will be hosting the Ō Mātou Reo: Our Voices 2025 event. The theme is Ko ngā reo. Ko ngā rongoā. Ko ngā mokopuna. Our voices. Our healing. Our future.
The goals of the event are to:
- Learn about how we can involve consumers and whānau in decision-making for better health outcomes
- Create opportunities for consumers and whānau to engage with health providers and the sector
- Highlight best practice and the Consumer Code of Expectations
More info to come, for now please save 30 October in your calendar.
World Hand Hygiene Day 5 May 2025
The annual 'Save Lives: Clean your hands' global campaign run by the World Health Organization (WHO) aims to promote the use of hand hygiene in health care facilities and beyond.
The theme for 2025 is ’It might be gloves. It’s always hand hygiene.’
As well as what's provided by the WHO, the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) also produces resources to support World Hand Hygiene Day, including fun puzzles and games. Visit the ACIPC website.
Wellington office move
On 28 April 2025 the Wellington office of Te Tāhū Hauora Health Quality & Safety Commission is moving to the ground floor of the Ministry of Health building at 133 Molesworth Street.
Our postal address, email and phone contact details will not change.
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