Report: Healthcare Policies and Strategies for Melanoma in New Zealand

This report analyzes healthcare strategies in New Zealand focused on melanoma, examining relevant policies and legislations aimed at reducing the incidence and impact of cancer. It explores initiatives by organizations like the Health Promotion Agency and the Melanoma Network of New Zealand, alongside key legislation such as the Privacy Act 1993 and the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994, which protect patient rights. The report highlights the New Zealand Health Strategy and the New Zealand Skin Cancer Primary Prevention and Early Detection Strategy 2017-2022, emphasizing their goals of early detection, primary prevention, and reducing cancer impact. It discusses the impact of these strategies, including early detection and identifying factors leading to melanoma, such as UVR exposure. Furthermore, it details the success of these strategies through intervention pathways encompassing primary prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, palliative care, and research, aligning with the New Zealand Cancer Control Strategy. The report concludes by summarizing the government's efforts to combat cancer, particularly melanoma, and the effectiveness of the selected strategies in achieving their objectives.

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Slide 1: Introduction
Some of the relevant heath care policies and legislations “for reducing the incidence and
impact of cancer” including melanoma includes- actions undertaken by the Health sponsorship
council and cancer society of new Zealand for the purpose of promotion of health in this relevant
areas. The New Zealand cancer control strategy 2003 provides new direction for managing the
activities related to cancer control. The Melanoma network of New Zealand and the health
promotion agency has developed a number of initiatives “for early detection and primary
prevention of skin cancer” in New Zealand (HPA - Health Promotion Agency., 2020). The
individual rights of the patients suffering from melanoma are protected under the Privacy act
1993 and are also protected by the Health and Disability Commissioner act 1994. These acts
provides an individual the right to be free from any type of discrimination, harassment, the right
to independence and dignity, the right to informed and effective communication and others. The
health care strategies chosen for the purpose of this paper is, “The New Zealand Health Strategy”
and the “New Zealand Skin Cancer Primary Prevention and Early Detection Strategy 2017 to
2022” (Ministry of Health NZ., 2020). The main aim of the selected strategies is to “reduce the
incidence and impact of cancer” and “to help different strategies and program in reducing the
incidence and impact of skin cancer in New Zealand.” The strategy also aims at early detection
of skin cancer and primary prevention.
Slide 2: Analysis of relevant policies and legislations that support the selected
strategy
The main objective of the all the legislations, policies, plans mentioned in the previous
slide such as the- the health sponsorship council, the cancer society of new Zealand, the New

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Zealand cancer control strategy, the health promotion agency, the melanoma network of New
Zealand, the Privacy act 1993 and the health and disability commissioner act 1994, all have an
aim of treating patients with melanoma through early diagnosis and prevention strategies
(www.health.govt.nz., 2020). Moreover these policies and strategies also provide for equal
opportunity to all to avail medical services (Ministry of Health NZ., 2020). Therefore all these
strategies, policies and legislations aim at supporting the strategies selected for the purpose of
this study.
Slide 3: Analysis of the impact of health care strategy
The strategies will helps in improving the overall health of the people of New Zealand
suffering from melanoma through early detection of the same and also through identification of
the factors that are leading to melanoma in patients. Some of the most common factors leading to
melanoma among patients includes- exposure to UVR and once the patients have been detected
with melanoma and the cause behind the same is found is found it different preventive measures
can be carried out (Sunsmart.org.nz., 2020). When melanoma is caused due to exposure to UVR
the patients can be asked to wear protection when being exposed to UV rays such as sunscreen,
protective clothing and various others techniques can be applied.
Slide 4: How and why the selected health care strategy has been successful
The selected strategies of “The New Zealand Health Strategy” and the “New Zealand
Skin Cancer Primary Prevention and Early Detection Strategy 2017 to 2022”, have been
successful because they have been able to determine the various intervention pathways that can
help in the reduction of the incidence and impact of melanoma in patients by: primary
prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, rehabilitation, palliative care and support

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and also includes evaluation, research and surveillance (Ministry of Health NZ., 2020).
Moreover the strategies also have an objective of reflecting the factors that are leading to cancer
among the people. The role played by the environment in affecting the health of the people, their
socio-economic status, demographic factors and also the role played by the lifestyle habits of
people and specific disease and the accessibility to the health services. For reducing the
incidence and impact of cancer among people, a coordinated approach is presently being
developed through determination of the prevention activities, early detection and rehabilitation
and treatment. Moreover, these strategies are aligned with the New Zealand health strategy, it is
aimed at reducing the health care gap and inequalities, it helps in treatment through evidence
based strategies, the strategies can be used as a guide for actions and the strategies are also
aligned with the Nee Zealand cancer control strategy.
Slide 5: Conclusion
Therefore from the above discussion, it can be concluded that a number of steps have
been taken by the New Zealand’s government for reducing the incidence and impact of cancer
among the people of the country and with special focus on melanoma. The various legislations
and policies enacted by the New Zealand government for reducing the impact of cancer have
been understood from the paper. Moreover two major strategies of the government have been
selected for this purpose- the “The New Zealand Health Strategy” and the “New Zealand Skin
Cancer Primary Prevention and Early Detection Strategy 2017 to 2022.” The ways the
legislations and policies can support the selected strategy have been understood from the paper.
Moreover the impact of the strategies on the communities, families has been understood. The
paper also discussed about why the strategies have been successful in its approach.

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References
HPA - Health Promotion Agency. (2020). HPA - Health Promotion Agency. HPA - Health
Promotion Agency. Retrieved 17 April 2020, from https://www.hpa.org.nz/.
Ministry of Health NZ. (2020). New Zealand Cancer Action Plan 2019–2029. Ministry of Health
NZ. Retrieved 17 April 2020, from https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/new-zealand-
cancer-action-plan-2019-2029.
Ministry of Health NZ. (2020). New Zealand Health Strategy 2016. Ministry of Health NZ.
Retrieved 17 April 2020, from https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/new-zealand-health-
strategy-2016.
Ministry of Health NZ. (2020). The New Zealand Cancer Control Strategy. Ministry of Health
NZ. Retrieved 17 April 2020, from https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/new-zealand-
cancer-control-strategy.
Sunsmart.org.nz. (2020). Sunsmart.org.nz. Retrieved 17 April 2020, from
https://www.sunsmart.org.nz/sites/default/files/documents/FINAL-Strategy-2017-to-2022.PDF.
www.health.govt.nz. (2020). National Cancer Programme. Ministry of Health NZ. Retrieved 17
April 2020, from https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/national-
cancer-programme.