New Zealand health care: a background

New Zealand, its people and health care services are described, followed by a discussion of (i) the role of government and non-government agencies in the funding, provision and purchasing of health care and (ii) persistent problems in the health care system. The authors argue that recent New Zealand health care reforms represent a significant deviation from past policies. However, to have any prospect of being judged as successful, the reforms must address difficulties in the funding, purchasing and provision of health care that are not new but have been features of New Zealand health care over many years.