About health data

How data and statistics are collected and produced by the health sector, data protection and privacy, and data references.

On this page

Why we collect data

We collect data to:

  • monitor the health of people in New Zealand
  • manage subsidies and services
  • inform funding and resource allocation
  • determine and evaluate health services
  • inform the development of health policies and interventions
  • assist in decisions about patient care
  • meet legislative requirements
  • meet international commitments.
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How data is collected

Data comes from the health sector through:

  • health services
  • mandatory reporting national collections
  • population health surveys.

Our data collection is governed by data protection and privacy legislation. Refer to the New Zealand legislation above, and HISO 10064:2017.

HISO 10064:2017 Health Information Governance Guidelinesexternal link

Who produces and maintains the data

Information Services responds to data requests and publish information from the National Collections

Health & Disability Intelligence (HDI) produces and maintains the data from the New Zealand Health Surveys

New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science) produces and maintains data on infectious diseases.
PHF Scienceexternal link

How data is prepared and used

To get statistics and evidence from the data, it is:

  • cleaned
  • aggregated
  • analysed.

Stakeholders use the output to inform policies and decisions on current and future health services, such as:

  • policy interventions
  • funding decisions
  • epidemiological research
  • programme evaluations.

Health data cycle

The data generation, production and use process cycle is as follows.

  1. Health services and population surveys.
  2. National collections and survey data.
  3. Analysis.
  4. Statistics and evidence.
  5. Policy and decision making.
  6. Back to step 1.

Contact details

Post

Health and Disability Intelligence
Health and Disability Systems Strategy
Ministry of Health
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6145

Phone

04 496 2000

Data queries

To ask about statistics, find out what other statistics are available and request customised data, email data-enquiries@health.govt.nz

Survey queries

For data enquiries about the national health surveys, email hdi@health.govt.nz