21 May 2024
Matthew Shelton
[FYI request #26610 email]
Tēnā koe Matthew
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00046494
Thank you for your email on 6 May 2024, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora for the
following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
Please supply the most up to date data on cancers, and maternal & neonatal morbidity and
mortality statistics, beyond the publicly posted data that seems to be only up to 2019.
Response
The following links to the Health NZ websit
e (www.tewhatuora.govt.nz) wil provide you with the web
tools and data for the information you have specifical y requested:
Mortality statistics
Mortality web tool – Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
This web tool presents mortality and demographic data for deaths registered in New Zealand from
1948–2021.
Maternity statistics
Report on maternity web tool – Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
A web tool for you to explore numbers and rates discussed in the New Zealand Maternity Clinical
Indicators series. You can filter results and customise graphs. The figures and tables presented
are downloadable.
Fetal and infant mortality statistics
Fetal and infant deaths web tool – Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
This web tool presents a summary of fetal and infant deaths, with a focus on deaths and stil births
registered in 2021.
We are unable to provide data for 2022/23 as this data is not yet complete enough to release.
After the close of a calendar year, there is a 12 to 18 month process to assign cause of death
codes to the majority of deaths in that year. The Health NZ clinical coding team reviews the death
certificate and health history of the deceased, to assign cause of death codes.
Approximately 10% of deaths are referred to the Coroner each year to determine cause. Deaths
which require a coronial inquiry can take 2-3 or more years for cause of death to be determined.
We do not make mortality data available publicly until the majority of deaths have been assigned a
cause of death, so that the data we release is complete and accurate. The Chief Coroner has
noted delays in the time it is taking them to determine cause of death.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, Health NZ may proactively
release a copy of this response on our website. Al requester data, including your name and
contact details, wil be removed prior to release.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Gaynor Bradfield
Group Manager, Business Support
Data and Digital
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Health NZ, PO Box 793,
Wellington 6140, New Zealand
