133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
2 March 2022
Mr Melvin
By email:
[FYI request #18551 email]
Ref:
H202201285
Dear Mr Melvin
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) on 12 February
2022 for information relating contract tracers at the Ministry of Health (the Ministry). You
specifically requested:
“How many people are currently working/employed for the Ministry as contact tracers?”
Contact tracing is undertaken by several agencies including the National Investigation and
Tracing Centre in the Ministry, public health units (PHUs) and telehealth call providers such as
CBG Health Research and Whakarongorau Aotearoa, who are contracted by the Ministry to
undertake telehealth work. People working in these organisations undertake a range of roles
including contact tracing. Most people undertaking contact tracing that are employed by the 12
PHUs (which form part of district health boards) also manage their business-as-usual public
health activities. The contracted telehealth providers are used across a range of telehealth
services including, but is not limited to:
• Contact tracing (including case investigation self-service support)
• COVID-19 vaccine booking (including registrations and enquiries)
• COVID-Info Line
• Quarantine free travel
• Managed Isolation and Quarantine Facilities
• Rapid Antigen Testing (including enquiries and self-service support)
• Care in the Community.
While the Ministry cannot advise the numbers working on contact tracing, it can advise the total
current workforce across our contracted providers in the above mentioned COVID-19 telehealth
services is more than 3,280 full-time equivalents (FTE) rostered over seven days. This excludes
any supervisory, support and management staff. It also excludes PHUs, or Ministry staff who
provide operational support and guidance for the telehealth providers.
I trust this satisfies your request. Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the
Ombudsman to review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be
contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases
Yours sincerely
Chrystal O’Connor
Group Manager Tracing, Testing & Supply
COVID-19 Health System Response
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