Health New Zealand/Te Whatu Ora has stopped accepting tenders in its search for a partner to design and build a simplified and unified National Data Platform (NDP) to reduce costs and inefficiencies.

According to Health Informatics New Zealand (HINZ), the purpose of the NDP is to develop a nationally consistent system of health data capture, analytics and intelligence to ensure equity of access and outcomes from all health services across Aotearoa. It should also allow a better understanding of patient journeys, as well as identify and address pressure points, it said.

Health NZ’s Registrations of Interest (ROI) form stated that creating the NDP is a “crucial enabler in the context of the health system reforms and forms part of a suite of related initiatives already underway on matters of data governance, data standards, and identity and access management”.

Health NZ, the Māori Health Authority, the Ministry of Health/Manatū Hauora will access the platform, which could also scale to include primary and community providers, the Ministry of Disabled People, the Cancer Control Agency and other non-governmental organisations.

Work with the selected partner is expected to start in March 2023 under a one- to two-year contract.