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News article Publication date: 6 July 2026 The Mental Health Bill has passed its third reading in Parliament. The Bill repeals and replaces the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992.This is an important step towards modernising compulsory mental health care and ensuring people receive care and support in a way that is safe, effective, and focused on their recovery.Kiri Richards, Associate Deputy Director-General, Mental Health, Addiction and Suicide Prevention at the Ministry of Health says, ‘The Bill replaces legislation that was passed more than three decades ago, providing a new framework to support people to make decisions about their own care wherever possible, with strengthened protections and greater involvement from family and whānau.‘Many people contributed to the development of the legislation, including those with lived experience, and their feedback will now help to improve the experiences of others in future.’The legislation supports compulsory mental health care being delivered in a way that minimises coercion and is responsive to individual needs. It introduces far greater protections, ensuring people understand what is happening and what they are entitled to when they are under the legislation. This includes:supported decision-making – encouraging and assisting people to make decisions about their own careintroducing independent advocacy roles, promoting safer practice through stronger safeguards for people under legislation, and enabling greater family involvement in a person’s carerequiring compulsory mental health care to be provided in the least restrictive way, helping to ensure that care is therapeutic and responsive to a person’s needs and driving a stronger focus on reducing and ultimately eliminating seclusion. The Bill responds to long-standing calls for the reform of compulsory mental health care in New Zealand and contributes to the Government’s response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions.The Bill has a commencement date of 1 July 2028 to give mental health services and other parts of the system involved in the provision of compulsory care time to prepare for the changes required under the new legislation.

News article Publication date: 3 July 2026 The Ministry of Health has agreed to undertake an investigation into serious concerns raised about treatment, conditions and oversight at Ward 10A of Wakari Hospital following the Ombudsman’s call for an independent investigation.An investigation by a district inspector into two complaints relating to care provided in Ward 10A is underway. In addition, the district inspector and the Ministry are considering legal options for further investigation to ensure the concerns are fully examined.The Ministry acknowledges the decision taken by Health New Zealand to close Ward 10A. The closure of the Ward does not impact on the investigation which will continue and report back to the Ombudsman in due course.

News article Publication date: 3 July 2026 The new expedited verification pathway is now in force, allowing Medsafe to accelerate medicine approvals while maintaining robust standards for safety, quality and effectiveness. From today, medicines that have already been approved by two recognised overseas regulators can be considered for assessment through the streamlined verification pathway.Medsafe Group Manager, Chris James says the initiative reduces duplication and supports timely access to medicines for patients. ‘This allows New Zealand patients to more quickly benefit from medicines that have already been rigorously assessed by overseas regulators,’ Chris James says.‘The verification pathway allows Medsafe to build on those assessments, while continuing to ensure that medicines supplied in New Zealand meet the requirements of our regulatory system.’The pathway recognises approvals from regulators in Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Singapore and Switzerland.Rather than repeating a full assessment, Medsafe will verify that the medicine proposed for New Zealand is the same as the product approved overseas and assess any factors relevant to its use in the New Zealand context.The streamlined process is expected to improve the efficiency of medicine approvals while maintaining appropriate safeguards. Medicines assessed through this pathway will still undergo regulatory scrutiny and have to meet certain eligibility criteria. Any applications that require more detailed consideration can continue to be evaluated through existing assessment pathways.‘The verification pathway aligns us with the approaches taken in other countries such as Singapore and the United Kingdom, while allowing us to maintain New Zealand’s independent decision-making,’ Chris James says. Several pharmaceutical companies have signalled interest in submitting applications for their products through the verification pathway, and Medsafe has begun to have conversations with companies about options. ‘Our focus is on making use of trusted international assessments and supporting faster access to important medicines, while ensuring people can continue to have confidence in the safety and effectiveness of medicines available in New Zealand.’

News article Publication date: 2 July 2026 On Thursday 25 June, researchers behind an AUT study examining sand products containing asbestos shared some of their high-level results with the Ministry of Health and other agencies.The results confirm that some of the recalled sand products can release asbestos fibres into the air. We recognise that the new information in this study may be concerning for the public, particularly for parents and caregivers.The Ministry of Health reconvened a cross-agency Technical Advisory Group of scientists, doctors and environmental health experts to rapidly assess whether the study’s results materially change our understanding of the health risk posed by these products.Since these sand products containing asbestos were identified in November last year, health authorities have been taking a precautionary approach and assuming all identified products can release fibres into the air.The study confirms that assumption and supports our approach taken to date.The Group has reconfirmed both that asbestos in these recalled sand products presents a potential health risk and that current health advice for households remain appropriate.The existing health advice for households can be found on Health New Zealand’s website.The Ministry will continue to monitor any emerging evidence and will reconvene the Group if needed.Health risks from asbestos in sandExposure to asbestos does not cause any immediate health problems. Health conditions linked to asbestos develop over a long period.When asbestos fibres are breathed in, they can become stuck in the lungs and damage the lung tissue. Over a long period of time, this can occasionally lead to conditions such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.The risk of developing asbestos-related health conditions is linked to the nature and quantity of asbestos and the length of time a person was exposed to it.There is no safe level of exposure and therefore we try to avoid all exposure.However, for most people who had these products at home, the quantities involved would likely be small. That is very different to the greater risk for people who might be exposed in an occupational setting.Actions if you have these products at homeIf you or your child has used the product, there is no need for urgent medical attention. Discuss any concerns with Healthline on 0800 611 116, who will advise if you or your child needs to see a healthcare professional for review.Avoid further exposure by removing the product safely. Removal advice can be found on Health New Zealand’s website.

Media release Publication date: 19 June 2026 An inquiry commissioned by the Director of Mental Health found that essential safeguards were missed, resulting in an 11-year-old girl being mistaken for an adult mental health patient, then twice being restrained and injected without consent.Director of Mental Health Dr John Crawshaw extends his sympathies to both the child and her whānau.To help prevent this happening again, the inquiry recommends clearer processes for confirming who patients are, better training for frontline staff, stronger communication and record‑keeping, more support for patients and whānau, and improved monitoring and follow‑up across services.‘No parent would want their child to be mistaken for someone else, or mistaken for an adult, particularly where that mistake leads to restraint and treatment that should never have occurred’, says Dr Crawshaw.‘I recognise the complexity of this case, the challenging conditions staff were operating under, and their good intentions. However, the outcome was unacceptable’.He says there are safeguards intended to protect patients within mental health services, but these were not consistently applied in this case.‘The failure to accurately confirm the child’s identity was the key and central failing,’ says Dr Crawshaw.‘This failure undermined subsequent decision‑making and was compounded by staff not being aware of important policies, key decisions not being documented properly, breakdowns in communication between teams, and insufficient medical assessment.The inquiry did not find a lawful basis for the two times the child was restrained and medicated without consent, even if clinicians had been treating the adult patient the child was mistaken for.‘This inquiry focused on systems and practice, rather than focusing on individual blame,’ he says. He notes there are several other reviews of this case including by the Health and Disability Commissioner.‘I have shared the inquiry report with the Health and Disability Commission and I have met with and written to Health New Zealand seeking a system response to the recommendations,’ he says.Dr Crawshaw says Heath NZ has developed an action plan to address the recommendations and has committed to monitoring and reporting on progress.‘This provides assurance that the issues identified are being addressed,’ he says. ‘This distressing case highlights the importance of applying safeguards consistently, every time, to protect patients across the health system and maintain trust in mental health services,’ Dr Crawshaw says.

News article Publication date: 11 June 2026 The Government has confirmed the alcohol levy for 2026/27, maintaining funding for services that reduce alcohol-related harm across Aotearoa New Zealand. For 2026/27, the levy will be set at $17.135 million, up from approximately $16.62 million in 2025/26. This is a CPI-driven adjustment to maintain the real value of the levy and support continuity of existing programmes. Levy funding is ring-fenced and directly reinvested into services that prevent and reduce alcohol-related harm.The levy supports a range of frontline services and initiatives, including:community-based programmesscreening and brief interventionsFASD prevention and support impaired driving prevention, interlock pilots, and targeted health promotion campaigns Deputy Director-General of Public Health & Mental Health, Dr Andrew Old, says the update helps ensure these services remain available.‘This update provides stability for services delivering practical support in communities and helps ensure they can continue their work.’For most consumers, the impact on price is expected to be negligible, only a few cents per product at most, while supporting services that reduce harm across communities.

Media release Publication date: 5 June 2026 Medsafe has today released a summary of its findings, as part of a broader system review, into a dispensing error which resulted in a tragic death in July last year.The Ministry of Health is extending its sincere condolences to the whānau affected by this tragic event.Chief Medical Officer Dr Joe Bourne says this incident has had a profound impact on the family involved and on the health professionals and organisations responsible for caring for them.  The incident prompted a coordinated, whole-of-system response, focused on understanding what happened and identifying opportunities to strengthen patient safety.  Dr Bourne says Health New Zealand led a Serious Adverse Event Review to examine the incident from an end‑to‑end system perspective, including prescribing, dispensing, discharge processes and follow‑up care.  Medsafe has contributed to this work as part of the wider system response, supporting medicines and pharmacy practice safety, and contributing to system learning where safeguards can be strengthened.Following notification of the dispensing error, Medsafe undertook an inspection of the community pharmacy as part of the immediate response.  This work helped rule out any immediate public safety concerns.Information from Medsafe’s inspection was provided to Health New Zealand and is now part of its Serious Adverse Event Review, ensuring relevant regulatory and practice insights are considered alongside other clinical and organisational factors.Now that Health New Zealand’s review is finalised, Medsafe is sharing a high‑level case summary to support sector‑wide learning, consistent with the overall review.Dr Bourne says this event reinforces the importance of strong, connected safety systems across all points of care, particularly for vulnerable patients and higher‑risk medicines.Medsafe will be continuing to work with Health New Zealand, the Pharmacy Council and the pharmacy sector to support improvements that reduce the risk of similar events in the future.Medsafe Pharmacy Practice Case Summary: Dispensing Incident: Oral PhosphateAbout MedsafeMedsafe is the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority, a business unit of the Ministry of Health. It regulates medicines, medical devices and pharmacy practice, and works with the health sector to support the safe use of medicines and continuous improvement in patient safety.  

Media release Publication date: 4 June 2026 Tighter controls on nitrous oxide come into force tomorrow, aimed at reducing the risk of serious harm from recreational inhalation.From 5 June, importers must have approval from the Director-General of Health to bring nitrous oxide into New Zealand. The new permit system supports legitimate medical, catering, and industrial uses, while helping prevent diversion for recreational use.Medsafe will assess permit applications on behalf of the Director-General. Approval will be conditional on Medsafe having confidence the imported product is intended for a lawful purpose and appropriate steps are in place to prevent misuse.Medsafe has already been engaging with importers and has begun assessing early applications, with priority given to importers with imminent shipments.In addition, nitrous oxide canisters over 10 grams sold as cream chargers will automatically be classified as psychoactive substances under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013. Canisters used for legitimate medical and industrial purposes are excluded.The law says anyone who sells or supplies nitrous oxide to someone for the primary purpose of inducing a psychoactive effect is liable on conviction (to a term of up to two years’ imprisonment or a $500,000 fine). Someone possessing nitrous oxide for that purpose is liable to a $500 infringement fine. The new regulations give Police strengthened ability to act against those supplying it for recreational misuse.Dr Joe Bourne, Chief Medical Officer, Ministry of Health, says nitrous oxide misuse carries real and preventable risks.“Short-term effects include dizziness, impaired judgement, and blackouts, which can be especially dangerous if someone is driving. With heavy or repeated use, we are seeing cases of serious neurological harm, including nerve damage that can affect movement and coordination.“These changes are about reducing access to higher-risk products and supporting safer behaviour.”New Zealand Police says the changes will support enforcement and improve road safety.“We’ve seen incidents where nitrous oxide use has contributed to dangerous driving and, in some cases, serious and fatal crashes,” says Tusha Penny, Police Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing and District Support.“Stronger controls on supply make it harder to access for misuse and give us clearer tools to act where it is being sold or used unlawfully.”Customs Group Manager Border Operations, Craig Chitty says Customs will play a critical role in enforcing these new controls at the border while working closely with the Ministry of Health, and Police as part of a coordinated, whole-of-system response.“The new permit system provides a clear and robust mechanism to verify lawful imports of nitrous oxide, strengthening our ability to identify and intercept consignments that may be diverted for recreational misuse.“These strengthened border controls complement tighter domestic settings, making it harder for supply to reach the community while ensuring legitimate medical, industrial and commercial trade can continue.”Nitrous oxide misuse can have serious health impacts. Alongside immediate effects such as dizziness and blackouts, frequent use can lead to long-term neurological damage, including weakness, numbness, and difficulty walking.If you have concerns about your own or someone else’s drug use, contact the Alcohol Drug Helpline on 0800 787 797 or text 8681. The service is free, confidential, and available 24/7.

Media release Publication date: 27 May 2026 The Ministry of Health is strengthening cyber security across the health system following an independent review into the Manage My Health (MMH) cyber incident. This includes new work to ensure key third‑party suppliers are independently assessed against required security standards.Ministry of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr Joe Bourne says this was a serious breach involving the cyber theft of highly sensitive health information affecting 99,000 people. New Zealanders expect strong protections, and action is already underway across the system to strengthen them.Dr Bourne says a key lesson is the need for independent assurance of third‑party suppliers, rather than relying solely on self‑assessment. This incident has highlighted clear areas where the system needs to improve, and our focus is now on learning from it and implementing these changes at pace.Ministry of Health Chief Information Officer Quin Carver says the Ministry and Health New Zealand are already taking action, including:working with Manage My Health to obtain independent assurance of post‑incident security improvementsstrengthening expectations for suppliers holding sensitive health informationreviewing how the Health Information Security Framework is applied and monitored in practiceestablishing clearer roles and processes for patient notification during cyber incidentsundertaking a desktop review of other major patient portals and developing a system‑wide action plan.Mr Carver says further work is underway to establish a more consistent, system‑wide approach to independently validating that health sector suppliers holding sensitive health data meet appropriate cyber security standards, responding to recommendations from both this review and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.To strengthen the protections for health data, the review makes 26 recommendations focused on reducing the likelihood and impact of similar incidents. These include:stronger third‑party cyber risk management and independent assuranceclearer, system‑wide processes for patient notificationimproved visibility of supply chain risksenhanced incident preparedness, including regular sector exercises.Dr Bourne says the Ministry has accepted all the report’s recommendations. Three actions are complete; five have been actioned and the Ministry is awaiting external confirmation they are complete); 12 are underway and a further six are being planned. He says Manage My Health has already taken action to strengthen their data protections.Dr Bourne says protecting people’s health information is fundamental to trust in the health system. This review highlights that strong governance, clear accountability, and independent assurance are essential to reducing cyber risk.The Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand have also written to key health sector leaders emphasising the importance of this.The Ministry will continue to work with Health New Zealand, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, and sector partners to implement its action plan and will provide updates as this work progresses.BackgroundThe Ministry review was informed by two independent reports undertaken by Bastion Security Group and CyberCX. The review found that the MMH breach – discovered in late December 2025 – involved unauthorised access to a privately operated patient portal and the theft of highly sensitive personal health information. It remains one of the most serious cyber security incidents experienced in the New Zealand health sector.While the response to the incident was broadly proportionate, the review found the breach itself was largely preventable. It identified weaknesses in technical controls, incident preparedness, and communications, alongside broader system-level issues in how cyber risks are managed across third‑party suppliers.Key findingsThe review found that:Manage My Health had significant security control gaps and was not sufficiently prepared for an incident of this natureknown risks, including weaknesses in application security, had not been fully addressed prior to the breachpatient notification and communications were delayed and inconsistent, contributing to confusion and a loss of trustsecurity improvements have since been made, but further independent assurance is requiredstronger oversight and assurance of third‑party suppliers holding sensitive health data is needed across the system.The report concludes that the incident should be treated as a call to action for the health sector, highlighting the need for stronger system stewardship and more consistent management of cyber risk.The Ministry’s action plan focuses on strengthening system stewardship, setting clearer expectations for supplier security, improving incident preparedness, and more robust assurance and oversight of high-risk third-party providers within the health sector.The action plan covers improving notification processes, enhancing assurance of high‑risk suppliers, and ensuring the Health Information Security Framework is applied in practice, rather than relying on supplier self‑assessment.Read the reportThe breach report and related documents are available at Proactive release of supporting information to the Manage My Health cyber security breach review.

News article Publication date: 20 May 2026 The Ministry of Health has received advice from the World Health Organization (WHO) that the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), but does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency.We are working closely with the World Health Organization and other partner agencies to monitor the situation. However, the current risk to New Zealand is low.The main risk is from travelling to affected countries. Although Ebola causes severe illness, it is not easily transmitted.The WHO is supporting health authorities in DRC and Uganda to strengthen their public health response, including by implementing point of entry screening and other infection prevention and control measures.At this stage, the WHO advises there is no need for passengers returning from DRC and Uganda to be automatically screened in airports outside the affected regions.There are processes and systems in place to ensure any traveller who arrives in New Zealand unwell is checked and managed appropriately.Given the low risk to New Zealand, there are no plans at this stage to change existing screening measures at the border. We will continue to monitor the evolving situation.More informationEbola – Health New Zealand websiteScreening measures at the border – Health New Zealand websiteAdvice for travellers – SafeTravel websiteDaily updates on acute public health events – World Health Organization