This page provides information on the boards of Crown entities, committees and responsible authorities that the Ministry of Health assists the Minister of Health in appointing to and monitoring.
Definitions
You can follow the links below to definitions of the entities we appoint to and monitor.
- Crown entities
- Responsible authorities
- Ministerial committees
- Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal
Crown Entities and statutory boards
A | C | D | E | H | M | N | O | P | T
Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ACART)
ACART is an independent advisory committee that formulates advice and guidelines for the regulation of assisted human reproduction. ACART is required to undertake extensive public consultation before issuing advice or finalising guidelines.
Chiropractic Board
The Chiropractic Board is a regulatory authority operating under the provisions of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act). Its purpose is to protect the health and safety of members of the public by ensuring that chiropractors are fit and competent to practise.
Dental Council
The Dental Council is a regulatory authority created by the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Its purpose is to ensure oral health practitioners meet and maintain their standards in order to protect the health and safety of the public of New Zealand.
Dietitians Board
The Dietitians Board is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 to protect the consumers of dietetic services and drive the creation of a workforce that is responsive to the health and well-being needs of New Zealanders.
Ethics Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ECART)
ECART considers and determines applications for assisted reproductive procedures or human reproductive research and keeps under review approvals previously given. In addition, ECART liaises with the Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology and other relevant ethics committees on matters relating to assisted reproductive procedures and human reproductive research.
Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC)
The main role of the HDC, an independent Crown entity, is to promote and protect the rights of consumers, and provide advice to health and disability service providers on improving their performance as a result of complaints. This includes making sure that consumer complaints are taken care of fairly, efficiently and effectively. The HDC also provides funding for a national advocacy service to help consumers with complaints.
Health and Disability Ethics Committees (HDEC)
New Zealand has four HDECs which provided independent ethical review of health and disability research to safeguard the rights, health and well-being of consumers and research participants, in particular those with diminished autonomy.
Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (HPDT)
HPDT is established under section 84 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. The purpose of the Tribunal is to protect the consumers of health services through hearing charges against the conduct of health practitioners.
Health Quality and Safety Commission (HQSC)
HQSC is a Crown agent with the objectives of leading and coordinating work across the health and disability sector for the purposes of monitoring and improving the quality and safety of health and disability support services.
Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC)
HRC is the Crown agent responsible for the allocation of the government’s investment in public-good health research. HRC funds health research in health and wellbeing in New Zealand, improving outcomes for acute and chronic conditions – better recovery for people suffering an illness or injury, improving health delivery and Rangahau Hauora Māori – supporting Māori health research.
Medical Radiation Technologists Board
The Medical Radiation Technologists Board is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act). It is responsible for the administration of the HPCA Act in regard to the profession of medical imaging and radiation therapy.
Medical Council
The Medical Sciences Council is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Its purpose is to ensure the health and safety of members of the public by providing mechanisms to ensure that health practitioners are competent and fit to practise their professions.
Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand
The Medical Sciences Council is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act). Its responsible for the administration of the HPCA Act with regards to laboratory science and anaesthetic technology.
Mental Health Review Tribunal
MHRT is an independent body appointed by the Minister of Health under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 (the Act). It is a specialised tribunal that determines whether a patient continues to be subject to an order under the Act. It makes determinations and recommendations involving fundamental human rights with significant implications not only for the patients themselves but also for their families and the community. It determines whether treatment is in the interests of a person who objects to the treatment and investigates any alleged breach of rights if a patient considers that a district inspector has failed to do so. The MHRT comprises of a psychiatrist, a lawyer and a community member, and a number of deputy members. MHRT members and deputies are appointed for three years.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission (MHWC)
MHWC is an independent Crown entity, and its objective is to provide system-level oversight of mental health and wellbeing in New Zealand to contribute to better and equitable mental health and wellbeing outcomes for New Zealanders.
Midwifery Council
The Midwifery Council is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Its role is to regulate midwives and ensure midwives meet and maintain high standard of education, conduct and performance so that they can provide high quality culturally safe healthcare throughout their careers.
National Ethics Advisory Committee (NEAC)
NEAC provides advice to the Minister of Health on ethical issues of national significance regarding health and disability research and services, and to determine nationally consistent ethical standards and provide scrutiny for research and services.
Nursing Council
The Nursing Council of New Zealand is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 for the registration of nurses. Its primary function is to protect the health and safety of members of the public by ensuring that nurses are competent and fit to practise.
New Zealand Blood and Organ Service (NZBOS)
The New Zealand Blood and Organ Service (NZBOS) is the Crown agent that ensures the supply of safe blood products. NZBOS takes responsibility for the development of an integrated national blood transfusion process, from the collection of blood from volunteer donors to provision of blood products within the hospital environment. NZBOS works with health professionals to ensure that processes for deceased organ donation are nationally consistent and meet the highest medical, ethical and legal standards.
Occupational Therapy Board
The Occupational Therapy Board is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act) to ensure the safety of consumers using occupational therapy services by making sure all occupational therapists meet the specifications of the HPCA Act.
Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board
The Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 to protect the health and safety of members of the public by ensuring that optometrists and dispensing opticians are fit and competent to practise.
Osteopathic Council
The Osteopathic Council of New Zealand is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 to ensure public safety through effective regulation and monitoring of the ongoing competency of the osteopathic profession.
PHARMAC
PHARMAC is the New Zealand government agency that decides, on behalf of district health boards, which medicines and related products are publicly funded in New Zealand and to what level. In addition to medicines used in the community, PHARMAC manages all hospital medicines and the vaccines funded by Government. PHARMAC is also working towards management of hospital medical devices.
Pharmacy Council
The Pharmacy Council is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Its primary role is to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of the public by ensuring pharmacists are competent and fit to practise.
Physiotherapy Board
The Physiotherapy Board is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 which sets standards, monitors and promotes competence, continuing professional development and proper conduct for the practice of physiotherapy in the interests of the public health and safety.
Podiatrists Board
The Podiatrists Board of New Zealand is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Its purpose is to protect the health and safety of members of the public by ensuring that podiatrists are fit and competent to practise.
Psychologists Board
The New Zealand Psychologists Board is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Its main purpose is to protect the health and safety of members of the public through the registration of psychologists and the management of competence, conduct, and fitness matters.
Psychotherapists Board
The Psychotherapists Board is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act). Its role is to ensure the safety of consumers using the services of a psychotherapist and that psychotherapists meet the requirements of the HPCA Act.
Te Hiringa Hauora – Health Promotion Agency
Te Hiringa Hauora – Health Promotion Agency is a Crown agent responsible for leading and delivering innovative, high-quality and cost-effective programmes that promote health, well-being and healthy lifestyles, disease prevention, illness and injury prevention. This includes providing advice and recommendations to government, government agencies, industry, non-government bodies, communities, health professionals and others on the supply, consumption and misuse of alcohol.
Te Kaunihera Manapou – Paramedic Council
Te Kaunihera Manapou – Paramedic Council is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 which responsible for the registration of paramedics. Its primary function is to protect the health and safety of members of the public by ensuring that paramedics are competent and fit to practise.