Southland District Health Board

Southland DHB undertakes an ongoing cycle of planning to identify how we will purchase and deliver health services and implement national and local health strategies, to best meet local health needs and improve our population's health status.

Funding:

Southland DHB receives close to $250 million of government funding per annum.   About 50% of that funding is used to purchase traditional hospital and mental health services.

The remaining 50% of our funding is distributed and monitored to community health providers, through contracts with the DHB. These providers include pharmacies, laboratories, Primary Health Organisations (GPs, practice nurses), aged residential care providers, dental providers, rural hospital trusts, Pacific Island and Maori health providers and non-government mental health organisations.

Planning:

Our planning is strongly influenced by the findings of the five-yearly Health Needs Assessment (a Health Profile of our local population) together with government policy and strategy. Importantly, we also plan to achieve the DHB Health Targets, which are set by the Minister of Health. The set of six, clearly defined health targets also help the public to measure our performance as a DHB.

The key strategic planning and accountability documents that we undertake include the District Strategic Plan (prepared every 5 years) and our District Annual Plan (prepared each year). These documents help inform the Minister of Health, local health service providers and our community of where we intend to focus health purchasing and service delivery into the future.

Health Strategies:

National and local health strategies are developed and/or implemented by the DHB to help address key health issues.

For example, a national childhood immunisation schedule helps protect our population from a number of diseases. The Healthy Eating Healthy Action (HEHA) strategy is working to address obesity and to help develop a healthier New Zealand society. The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation programme aims to protect girls and young women from cervical cancer. Subsidised General Practitioner (GP) fees seek to encourage people to access health advice early on when they become unwell, rather than waiting until they are very sick and may require more complex health treatment. 

Emergency Planning:

We also undertake emergency planning for epidemics, pandemics, mass casualties, and civil defence emergencies. These plans are made in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, Southland health providers, City Councils, Environment Southland and Civil Defence.

This planning work is led by the Otago and Southland District Health Boards' Regional Planning and Funding team.