Ministry of Health (New Zealand)
The Ministry of Health (Māori: Manatū Hauora) is the public service department of New Zealand responsible for healthcare in New Zealand. It came into existence in its current form in 1993. History Origins The Ministry of Health's origins can be traced back to the Department of Public Health, which was first established in 1901 at the advice of the Central Board of Health. The Department of Public Health assumed responsibility for the provision of Māori health services between 1906 and 1909, when Māori medical health services were returned to the-then Department of Native Affairs. In 1910, the Public Health Department resumed responsibility for the control of Māori health. In 1911, a Māori Nursing Service was established as part of the Department of Public Health. Growing strains Its structure remained relatively static even when the Social Security Act 1938 was passed where the New Zealand government took a larger role in health purchasing. The department remained actively involved in policy (as opposed to purchasing). By the 1970s problems had appeared in the health system. The high growth rate in hospital expenditure was occurring at a time when the economy was slowing down. Thus, the government was unable to sustain funding this