H2022012603 documents.pdf

Document 1
1982
Act
Information
Official
the
under
Released

Document 2
Memo
COVID-19 Weekly Situation Report: Joint Paper from Te Whatu Ora and Public
Health Agency, Manatū Hauroa
To
Fepulea’i Margie Apa, Chief Executive Te
Tracking
N/A
Whatu Ora; Dr Diana Sarfati, Director-
No.
General of Health, Manatū Hauora
1982
Copy
Nick Chamberlain, National Director,
Date
9/09/2022
National Public Health Service
Act
Dr Andrew Old, Deputy Director-General,
Public Health Agency, Manatū Hauora
Rachael Hopkins, Group Manager Office of
the Director Outbreak Response, National
Public Health Service, Te Whatu Ora
Rachel Dillon, Group Manager Office of the
Director, National Immunisation Programme,
Te Whatu Ora
From
Matt Hannant, Director Outbreak Response,
Information
National Public Health Service; Dave
Henderson, Lead Intelligence Surveillance
and Knowledge, Public Health Agency,
Manatū Hauora
Contact for telephone discussion (if required)
Official
Name
Position
Telephone
1st contact
Director Outbreak Response,
s 9(2)(a)
the
Matt Hannant
National Public Health Service, Te
x
Whatu Ora
Lead Intelligence Surveillance and
Dave Henderson
Knowledge, Public Health Agency,
Manatū Hauora
under
Released
COVID-19 Weekly Situational Report: Joint Paper from Te Whatu Ora and Public Health Agency,
Manatū Hauora

Document 2

Purpose
1.  This Memo provides you with background information regarding a stocktake of COVID-
19 reporting that was undertaken by Outbreak Response, Te Whatu Ora and
Intelligence, Surveil ance and Knowledge (ISK), Public Health Agency, Manatū Hauora. It
also outlines the development of a new, cross-agency COVID-19 Weekly Situational
Report to consolidate the suite of reporting across agencies, provided on an exceptions  1982
basis.
2.  Attached at appendix one is a draft template of this new report for your review and
approval.
Act
Recommendations
3.  Te Whatu Ora and Manatū Hauora recommend that you:
a
Agree to the establishment of the new COVID-19 Weekly            Agree/ Disagree
Situation Report jointly commissioned and produced by
Outbreak Response and ISK

b
Agree the process for compiling and providing the new                Agree/ Disagree
report to Ministers: for all content to be provided jointly
Information
from Outbreak Response and ISK to Ministers and
executives concurrently

c
Note all other COVID-19 specific reports will be                            Agree/ Disagree
gradually decommissioned   Official




the
Matt Hannant
Dave Henderson
Interim Director, Outbreak Response
Lead Intelligence, Surveillance and
National Public Health Service
Knowledge
Te Whatu Ora
Public Health Agency
Date: 8/09/2022
Date: 9/09/2022
under

Fepulea’i Margie Apa
Dr Diana Sarfati
Chief Executive
Director-General of Health
Te Whatu Ora
Manatū Hauora
Released
Date:  9/9/2022
Date:
COVID-19 Weekly Situational Report: Joint Paper from Te Whatu Ora and Public Health Agency,
Manatū Hauora

Document 2

Background
Ministers have indicated their desire for more condensed and easily digestible
COVID-19 reporting
4.  In early August 2022, Ministers signalled to Te Whatu Ora and Manatū Hauora officials
that the regular COVID-19 reporting they were receiving was:
a.  no longer necessary given the transition towards normalising COVID-19 as
business-as-usual activity
b.  information heavy but lacking clear and concise analysis that enabled Ministers  1982
to readily interpret and digest information.

5.  In light of this, Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall’s Office requested that Te Whatu Ora and Manatū
Act
Hauora review its respective reporting with the intent of only providing key information
that Ministers should be made aware of because it is either:
a.  Noteworthy
b.  has associated risks that may need future decisions to be made
c.  could be picked up by the media or;
d.  is a significant enough change or new development.
Outbreak Response and ISK undertook a review of its reporting and made
recommendations to the Minister’s Office regarding the decommissioning of certain
reports
Information
6.  In response to this request, officials from Outbreak Response, and ISK undertook a
stocktake of all COVID-19 reporting to Ministers, noting that the majority of COVID-19
reporting sits in these areas. By using the stocktake, officials were able to make
recommendations regarding reporting that could be discontinued. The Minister’s Office
subsequently provided feedback on these recommendations.
Outbreak Response and ISK have identified the opportunity to condense their
Official
respective COVID-19 reporting into one, cross-agency report
7.  In undertaking its respective stocktakes of COVID-19 reporting, Outbreak Response and
the
ISK have identified an opportunity to better align and streamline reporting by condensing
individual COVID-19 reporting into a new, cross-agency COVID-19 report to be provided
to Ministers on a weekly basis.
8.  This report is intended to reduce the risk of duplication and improve alignment of
information from across Manatū Hauora and Te Whatu Ora, as well as provide more
concentrated information and improved analysis.
under

9.  Pending your comfort, the intention is that this report will supersede the majority of other
COVID-19 reporting, apart from reporting that is Cabinet mandated. The weekly report
wil  continue to be provided to Ministers separate to this report.
10. Te Whatu Ora and the PHA have worked collaboratively to develop a draft of this report
titled: ‘Weekly COVID-19 Situational Update’. This draft is attached at Appendix 1 for
your approval.
Outbreak Response and ISK have identified a process for compiling and providing
Released
the report
11. Pending your agreement, the weekly process wil  be co-led by the ISK Group and
Outbreak Response with the report provided from these teams to the Ministers/Associate
COVID-19 Weekly Situational Report: Joint Paper from Te Whatu Ora and Public Health Agency,
Manatū Hauora

Document 2
Ministers for COVID-19 Response and Health, given the reporting sits across both
portfolios. Minister Verrall’s office has confirmed they are happy with this approach.
Next steps
12. Te Whatu Ora and Manatū Hauora request that you review and approve the draft report,
attached an appendix one.
13. Subject to your approval and any amendments made as a result of your feedback, we
wil provide a copy of the draft report to relevant Ministers offices for feedback.
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14. Depending on Ministerial feedback and agreement, we intend to produce the first
Regular COVID-19 Update for Ministers the week ending 16 September 2022. Act
Information
Official
the
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4
Memo: Number then Title
Choose an item.

Document 2
Appendix 1: Draft Report - Weekly COVID-19 Situational Update
Withheld in full under section 9(2)(g)(i) of the Act - to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the
free and frank expression of opinions by or between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an organisation
or officers and employees of any public service agency or organisation in the course of their duty
1982
Act
Information
Official
the
under
Released
COVID-19 Weekly Situational Report: Joint Paper from Te Whatu Ora and Public Health Agency,
Manatū Hauora