Report of the Department of Health / New Zealand.

  • New Zealand. Department of Health.
Date:
[1971]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report of the Department of Health / New Zealand. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    14/136 (page 14)
    The national plan adopted by the committee divides New Zealand into four regions. Eventually, each hospital having more than 200 beds will have access to computer facilities centred on Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, or Dunedin. The position of the small hospitals will be determined later. The major hospital computer referred to above will be the first regional one and will be located at Auckland. Also, tenders have been called for the supply of the process control computer to be installed in Christ¬ church Hospital. The second seminar, like the earlier one held in 1969, was highly successful, the theme being “The use of computers in hospitals”. Those attending were from certain hospital boards not represented at the 1969 seminar. Progress is also being made towards standardisation of systems and procedures in all hospitals to be affected by E.D.P. A common payroll system, and a common manual for computer operation and system investigation and documentation, are in the course of preparation. Management Services During the past year several aspects of the department’s work have been the subject of Management Services reviews. An examination of the Public Health Division in Head Office was completed, including reviews of maternal and child health, disease control, environmental health, occupational health and toxicology, health education, and some administrative activities. Planning is now well advanced for a review of public health activities in district offices. Following the review of the work of the National Health Statistics Centre, proposals were made to extend the range of information collected in health resources, pollution, morbidity, and other areas, taking into account improvements in electronic data processing systems which will be available to the department and hospitals. A comprehensive review of departmental forms has been made, several studies of office machine needs completed, and approval has been obtained to extend the department’s telex system. Current Management Services investigations include examination of clerical and secretarial services provided by the department to statutory boards and committees, and a review of the Division of Dental Health. Planning, Programming, and Budgeting System In accordance with Government policy of improving the techniques of financial management and planning in departments, a Planning, Programming, and Budgeting System was introduced in the department, from 1 April 1970. The department’s estimates of expenditure are now set out in standard expenditure groups for each of the eight major activity programmes, namely administrative services, dental services, hospital services, family health services, medical research, medical services, public health services, and welfare services. These programmes are further subdivided under 90 subactivity headings involving some 47 responsibility centres. This finer analysis under subactivities and responsibility centres will enable a better evaluation of performances to be made in future years, leading to greater efficiency and economy.