Citizenship, work, welfare, education and health in New Zealand

Access to excellent, unconstrained and timely health care is considered a birthright by most New Zealanders. However, there are shortcomings in some health services, especially in mental health and rehabilitation, and these not only have an adverse personal impact but also challenge the sustainability of the national welfare system. There are insufficient well-trained people who can manage 'care' in line with either generic best practice or Whanau Ora ideology. An important and core reform is for a coordination of relevant programmes in education, health, justice and welfare, and for both shared accountabilities and linked governance.