Health and Disability Sector Ethnicity Data ProtocolsPublished February 2004 The Ethnicity Data Protocols form a workstream of a broader Ethnicity Data Improvement Programme. The objective of the Ethnicity Data Improvement project is to improve the quality of ethnicity data collected in the health sector through standardisation of the collection process, including the consistent use of the question format from Statistics New Zealand. A related deliverable of the programme includes the development of, and delivery to collectors, of ethnicity data training and educational material. The delivery of the Ethnicity Data Protocols form part of the Ministry’s formal set of outputs with government. For example, the Māori Health Action Plan 2002–2005 requires the improvement of Māori health information collection to support effective service delivery, monitoring and achievement of Māori health objectives by December 2003. This will be done, in part, through the Ministry ensuring a consistent standard for ethnicity data collection is agreed and implemented.
The Ministry has sought and obtained sector input into the protocols. The Ministry has signed off the protocols to be published and this is expected to occur in January 2004. From 1 July 2004 DHBs, and organisations they contract with, will be required to begin to use the protocols in the management of ethnicity data. The Ministry considers that HISO endorsement of the protocols would assist the implementation process. Thus, it is the intent of this proposal is to seek HISO’s endorsement for the Ethnicity Data Protocols at the 15 December 2004 meeting.