What is public health workforce development?

New Zealand has not, until now, had a co-ordinated national strategy to develop the public health workforce. A wide range of workforce development initiatives have been occuring across the public health sector, but they have not been co-ordinated, systematic or connected.

In 2003 the Ministry of Health commenced work to lead and participate in the development of this workforce and to strengthen the public health skills in the wider health workforce. The objective is to develop a national approach to public health workforce development in New Zealand.

Te Uru Kahikatea: The Public Health Workforce Development Plan (2007–2016) (PH WDP), provides an integrated strategic framework to guide and direct public health workforce development in New Zealand.

The PH WDP provides an opportunity for innovation and expansion in public health workforce development. It proposes incremental change to:

  • Accommodate the complexities of the public health workforce
  • Strengthen the wider health workforce’s skills in public health
  • Plan for the workforce we will need to meet future public health service delivery
  • Address structural and professional development issues at a national level
  • Support regional and local workforce development and ingenuity.

 Dale - Public Health Physician

“I am committed to working in public health because I think there are greater gains to be made by working with communities for better health”

Dale, Public Health Physician,
Waitemata District Health Board