The government is promising a health system that focuses more on prevention and is more responsive to the needs of the public.
St John Ambulance. Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
It's among the aims of a revised New Zealand Health Strategy launched today.
The new document updates the current 16-year-old plan.
Key themes include the need for better understanding by the public about health - so-called health literacy, a stronger push on prevention and self-management, and services closer to home with better integration with other services.
Dementia, obesity, the needs of Māori, Pacific, disabled people, and children were listed as the major challenges.
The strategy also said the cost of the current $18 billion system was unsustainable, and new ways of delivering services would be needed.
