David Clark, Minister of Health.
Multiple ICT systems in New Zealand health sector are aged and at least partially out of support, Minister of Health David Clark has reported to Parliament.
These include the National Provider Index, National Enrolment Service and National Health Index, the National Immunisation Register as well as the Cancer Registry, online pharmaceutical claiming system and financial management and budgeting software.
All ministry systems have been self-assessed against technical risk and managed against impact on the business, the minister said in answer to questions around departmental appropriations.
The listed systems all have some component of their end-to-end system unsupported, including where vendors would provide support on a "best efforts" basis.
Asked to enumerate the key ICT risks and capability gaps in the health and disability sector, the minister said these included cyber-security and aged technology assets "exacerbated by a lack of effective investment under the previous Government".
"The key capability gaps include workforce capacity, and barriers to data sharing and use mainly due to data incompatibility and interoperability challenges."
In response, the the Ministry of Health was increasing its sector facing cyber-security capability within its baseline departmental expenditure budget, and investing in core services which enable data sharing and use.
"Proposals for Investment in new ICT projects by DHBs are monitored by the Ministry," a Parliamentary report said.
"There is a greater focus on conformity and compliance with information standards published by the Health Information Standards Organisation (HISO) and All-of-Government directives promoted by the Government Chief Digital Officer."
