The National Public Health Service works alongside communities to deliver national, regional and local programmes for achieving pae ora.

We are the National Public Health Service - Wellington Region. We exist to promote and protect population health across Wellington and Wairarapa. We are part of Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora.

We work alongside whānau, iwi, communities and organisations to create and support healthier communities. Drawing on Mātauranga Māori and data they provide health promotion, prevention, and protection at local, regional, and national levels. The National Public Health Service:

• monitors environmental health
• helps prevent the spread of infectious diseases
• promotes healthy eating and physical activity
• works with early childhood centres and kōhanga reo to promote safe environments and good health practices
• provides health services for children
• reviews licences and public health regulations
• guides and enforces public health plans, strategies and legislation.

Our staff includes medical officers of health, senior medical officers, health protection officers, public health nurses, health promoters and those in systems, intelligence and planning roles, and management. We fulfil a range of regulatory roles around alcohol licensing, smokefree compliance, infectious disease management and environmental health.

The National Public Health Service - Wellington Region was formed following the merger of Public Health Units and DHBs.

Who we are

We work with communities across the greater Wellington region, through Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora districts - Capital, Coast, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa.

We have a special focus on improving health of Māori, Pacific and those on low incomes, especially children within these families.

Much of the work in public health is behind the scenes ensuring a healthy and safe environment for our population, including writing submissions, influencing policy, enforcing health legislation, and working with other agencies to improve access to services and resources.

How we work

We work with our communities to make it a healthier, safer place to live. We promote good health, prevent disease, and improve the quality of life for our population. We have a particular focus on children, Māori and Pacific populations.

We work across a variety of settings and our work spans a number of public health topics. More in-depth information on the type of work we do can be found under each public health topic.

An example of some of our work includes:

In our environment:

• Raising awareness of communicable diseases and following up outbreaks of disease, for example COVID-19, meningitis, tuberculosis and gastroenteritis.
• Investigating air, water and other pollution hazards.
• Working towards preventing unwanted diseases entering New Zealand by monitoring our local air and sea borders.
• Assisting during emergencies and natural disasters by working with Civil Defence and Emergency Management.
• Enforcing relevant health legislation.

In our community:

• We work closely with a variety of agencies to reduce the risk and harm caused by alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
• We provide support to new migrants entering the country.
• Promoting physical activity and healthy eating.
• Working towards a Smokefree Aotearoa by 2025.
• Public health nurses provide professional advice and support on child related problems and promote healthy living.
• We offer immunisation in schools according to the national immunisation schedule.
• We offer vision and hearing screening for pre-school and school age children.
• Working in early childhood centres and kōhanga reo to promote safe environments and good health practices.

You can find more information on National Public Health Service here.