133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
15 March 2023
Lisa
By email: [FYI request #20256 email]
Ref: H2023020424
Tēnā koe Lisa
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request to Manatū Hauora (the Ministry of Health) on 14 February 2023 in
response to information provided to you under reference: H2023019298. You requested:
“Given five months has passed since I was advised codes were being used I would like to
know why you are unable to respond. The original response told me to request this later in
the 2022 year and I decided to wait until early 2023 to be sure there was sufficient data.
While I appreciate you resending me one of the later responses I would appreciate your
confirmation you have looked at the data available and not just the last response and
resent it.”
As you were advised on 14 September 2022 in response to H20230219298, clinical codes for
long COVID are now available across primary and secondary care in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Manatū Hauora expects to begin reporting on long COVID conditions later in 2023
, once there
is regular use of the code allowing this information to be tracked.
I understand that you were previously advised that Manatū Hauora would begin reporting on
long COVID in late 2022 (H2022010466 refers). However, there has been a delay in the roll out
of this coding in hospitals as it was only introduced in 2023 and there is no data to provide as of
yet.
Please note, the coding functions for long COVID will be transferred to the National Public
Health Service at Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) from 6 March 2023. Therefore, you may
wish to request this information from Te Whatu Ora at a later date. To submit an OIA request to
Te Whatu Ora email:
[email address]
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
Manatū Hauora website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-
official-information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Louise Karageorge
Group Manager, Intelligence, Surveillance and Knowledge
Public Health Agency | Te Pou Hauora Tūmatanui
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