The National Leadership Coordination Service Programme
The Refugee Health National Leadership Coordination Service (NLCS) was created to improve access to services, and outcomes for former refugees and their families.
Purpose and priorities
The NLCS is a function of Immigration New Zealand (INZ) within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Its purpose is to improve service access and outcomes for former refugees and their families.
Key priorities of the NLCS
- Improve coordination, networking, and workforce development across health services in New Zealand.
- Support the implementation of the national refugee health work programme.
- Support the delivery of refugee health services across the country.
The NLCS was established within INZ as it builds on MBIE’s role in:
- leading the cross-agency implementation of the Refugee Resettlement Strategy
- the delivery of New Zealand’s Refugee Quota Programme, and
- coordinating the services at the Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre — Te Āhuru Mōwai o Aotearoa.
The NLCS’s strategic direction and activities are set by a governance group, made up of representatives from MBIE, Health New Zealand — Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ), Ministry of Health (MOH) and New Zealand’s Refugee Advisory Panel.
Background
The NLCS fulfils a key recommendation of the review of refugee health contracts undertaken by MOH from July to November 2021. The NLCS was commissioned by Health NZ in 2023 and is delivered by MBIE.
The review was conducted within the context of health system reforms in response to New Zealand’s increase in the refugee quota from 1,000 to 1,500 per annum from 1 July 2020.
To support the quota increase, MBIE and MOH created a new quota refugee health model. The model is in place to ensure a range of services for quota refugee arrivals: from offshore to onshore, and resettlement in the community.
- training
- e-learning opportunities, and
- initiatives.
- share knowledge, good practice, and innovation,
- develop ideas to address challenges, and
- strengthen collaboration across the sector.
Building pathways for former refugees to connect them to health roles in the community through financial support and mentoring opportunities.
Online resources and tools include:
These resources support with strengthening capability and cultural competency in the refugee health and resettlement sectors and the wider community.
Learning module for workforce in the refugee sector
The NLCS has developed an e-learning module that provides guidance and information on quota refugees’ health journeys as they settle in New Zealand.
You can access the training module on the Health New Zealand — Te Whatu ora website:
Training for the Quota Refugee Health Model — Health New Zealand
Additional resources:
Cultural Competency Training for the General Health Workforce — eCALD
The Community of Practice provides a platform for members across the country to:
Contact
If you would like to know more about the National Leadership Coordination Service, email the NLCS.
This page will be updated regularly as work progresses.