The Public Health workforce is facing major challenges. An ageing population, continuing inequalities in health status, new and re-emerging global diseases and the growing dominance of chronic health issues are having an increasing impact on public health in New Zealand. Epidemics of obesity and diabetes, and environmental emergencies pose major challenges to the health services of the future.
Effective intervention is required to improve the health of New Zealanders; to prevent disease, address the determinants of health and reduce inequalities. The public health workforce in health organisations and in related agencies across our communities must grow and upskill to meet these challenges.
The general consensus across the entire New Zealand health sector is that the pace of workforce change must quicken – now. The challenge is the same for the public health sector. The public health workforce must equip themselves to adapt to changing models of care, changing community and societal structures, changing population demographics and changing public health issues.
The New Zealand vision for public health workforce development is that inequalities will be reduced and the health of all peoples in New Zealand will be improved through public health and societal strategies that are:
Every time the phone rings I can never be quite sure what I’ll be required to deal with and this means I am constantly learning...
Kirsten Todd, Health Protection Officer, Nelson Marlborough Public Health Service
- Delivered by a properly configured, responsive, well-trained and competent (including culturally competent) workforce
- Strengthened with core public health skills and knowledge
- Supported by infrastructure and workplaces that actively encourage and develop the public health workforce.
(Ministry of Health. 2007. Te Uru Kahikatea: Public Health Workforce Development Plan.)