Kia ora Elspeth

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act), received by the Ministry of Health on 28 November 2025. You
requested:

 

This request follows recent research, including the 2025 University of
Otago study, showing that ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions can
be reliably identified in the IDI and that neurodivergent youth experience
disproportionately high premature mortality. These findings raise
important questions about national monitoring, governance, and policy
oversight.

Timeframe: This request covers the period 1 January 2015 to the date this
request is received.

Format: Where datasets, tables, or modelling outputs are provided, I
request they be supplied in machine-readable format (CSV or original
spreadsheet file) along with any data dictionaries or field definitions.

Scope clarification to reduce unnecessary work
To streamline this request, I am not seeking internal email chains, draft
documents, or personal information about individuals unless they are the
only holders of the substantive information described. If any part of this
request is likely to be refused under s 18(f) due to substantial
collation, please identify that specific part early so I can refine it.

Please provide:

1. Leadership / Ownership
Any documents identifying which team, unit, or role holds responsibility
for ADHD policy, inter-agency coordination, governance, or oversight.

2. Policies / Frameworks
Any national policies, guidelines, briefings or advice specifically
addressing ADHD, or service-delivery guidance since 2015 that address ADHD
diagnosis, treatment, service delivery, or cross-agency coordination.

This section refers to national health policies and Ministry-held
service-delivery guidance, and does not seek the New Zealand Clinical
Principles Framework for ADHD, which is covered in a separate request.

3. Data & Monitoring
Any documentation describing how ADHD is identified, coded, monitored, or
reported in national health datasets (for example ICD, ATC, SNOMED, or
pharmacy indicators), and any outcome or performance measures used since
2015.
If ADHD is grouped under another category, please specify which category
and provide the associated coding guidance or definitions.

4. IDI Evidence and Follow-Up
In light of growing evidence (including the 2025 University of Otago
study) that ADHD cohorts can be identified in the IDI and that
neurodivergent youth face significantly higher premature mortality, please
provide:
a. Any documents, advice, or correspondence (2018–present) discussing
Manatû Hauora’s response to, use of, or planned engagement with ADHD
related research using the IDI;
b. Any records of Ministry led or Ministry commissioned analyses of ADHD
using the IDI or linked administrative datasets; and
c. Any plans, proposals, or discussions regarding the development of
ongoing ADHD population level monitoring or outcomes reporting using the
IDI or equivalent data systems.

5. Equity / Risk
Any analysis, reports, or targeted briefings addressing inequities,
suicide risk, self-harm risk, health loss, or comorbidity for people with
ADHD, and any actions taken or proposed in response.

If any Mâori data governance or Mâori equity considerations were applied
when deciding whether to collect, categorise, or monitor ADHD-related
information, please provide the relevant documents.

Rainbow+/Takatâpui populations: Please include any analysis or data
relating to ADHD outcomes, or confirm if such data are not collected.

If no such analysis exists, please confirm this.

6. Rights / Compliance
Any assessments or advice since 2015 considering obligations relevant to
ADHD under:
the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act
the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)
accessibility and non-discrimination requirements (including Human Rights
Act 1993 and NZBORA s19).

7. Oversight Position
Please confirm whether Manatû Hauora currently holds policy or
service-delivery oversight for ADHD, or whether this function is formally
assigned elsewhere.

If no agency holds this role, please confirm this.

If information is not held
If your agency does not hold some or all of the information requested,
that absence also helps clarify how ADHD is currently tracked and managed
across the system. Please confirm if the information is not held, and
include any existing documents or correspondence that record a decision
not to collect or monitor ADHD-related information.

Please also specify how related matters are categorised (e.g., under
neurodiversity, mental health, disability, or other categories).

 

The reference number for your request is H2025076277. As required under
the Act, the Ministry will endeavour to respond to your request no later
than 20 working days after the day your request was
received: [1]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/

 

Please be advised that due dates for requests received on 27 November 2025
onwards will take into account the summer holiday period (25 December 2025
to 15 January 2026). Please refer to this guide for an explanation of
the [2]statutory obligations under the Official Information Act 1982.

If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch ([3][email address]).

 

Ngâ mihi 
 
  

OIA Services Team

Ministry of Health  | Manatû Hauora 

M[4]inistry of Health information releases 

 

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References

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3. mailto:[email address]
4. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...

Kia ora Elspeth,

I refer to your request for official information in the email chain below,
regarding ADHD (H2025076277 refers).

Part 3 of your request asks for information regarding data and monitoring,
which is more closely connected with the functions of Health New
Zealand (Te Whatu Ora). For this reason, the Ministry has decided to
partially transfer part 3 your request to Health New Zealand  under
section 14(b)(ii) of the Act. You can expect a response from their agency
in due course. Their contact email is: [1][email address]. 

Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to
review the Ministry’s decision to transfer your request. The Ombudsman may
be contacted by email at: [2][email address] or by calling
0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi 

  

OIA Services Team

Ministry of Health  | Manatū Hauora 

M[3]inistry of Health information releases 

show quoted sections

Tçnâ koe,

 

Thank you for your email. 

 

Under the Official Information Act (OIA), agencies are required to respond
to requests for official information as soon as reasonably practicable and
no later than 20 working days after receiving them.

 

Please note that the period from 25 December 2025 to 15 January 2026
(inclusive) is not counted as working days under the OIA. As a result, any
OIA requests received on or after 29 November 2025 may take longer to
process than usual, as the maximum response timeframe may extend into the
new year.

If your request is for data that Health NZ holds, have you checked
[1]Lighthouse first to see if the data you are seeking is already
published?

 

Lighthouse is a searchable catalogue that makes a range of data and
analytics products available to New Zealanders to enable easier, faster
access to insights about health services.

 

You can find further information about how OIA timeframes are calculated,
including the Ombudsman’s OIA calculator, at the link below:
[2]Official information calculators | Ombudsman New Zealand

 

We will provide a response to your request in line with the statutory
timeframes set out in the OIA.

We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time.

 

Ngâ mihi,
Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora.

Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
delete this message

References

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2. https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/agen...

Kia ora Elspeth

 

Thank you for your request for official information received on 28
November 2025 requesting: 

 

“Please provide:

1. Leadership / Ownership
Any documents identifying which team, unit, or role holds responsibility
for ADHD policy, inter-agency coordination, governance, or oversight.

2. Policies / Frameworks
Any national policies, guidelines, briefings or advice specifically
addressing ADHD, or service-delivery guidance since 2015 that address ADHD
diagnosis, treatment, service delivery, or cross-agency coordination.

This section refers to national health policies and Ministry-held
service-delivery guidance, and does not seek the New Zealand Clinical
Principles Framework for ADHD, which is covered in a separate request.

3. Data & Monitoring
Any documentation describing how ADHD is identified, coded, monitored, or
reported in national health datasets (for example ICD, ATC, SNOMED, or
pharmacy indicators), and any outcome or performance measures used since
2015.
If ADHD is grouped under another category, please specify which category
and provide the associated coding guidance or definitions.

4. IDI Evidence and Follow-Up
In light of growing evidence (including the 2025 University of Otago
study) that ADHD cohorts can be identified in the IDI and that
neurodivergent youth face significantly higher premature mortality, please
provide:
a. Any documents, advice, or correspondence (2018–present) discussing
Manatû Hauora’s response to, use of, or planned engagement with ADHD
related research using the IDI;
b. Any records of Ministry led or Ministry commissioned analyses of ADHD
using the IDI or linked administrative datasets; and
c. Any plans, proposals, or discussions regarding the development of
ongoing ADHD population level monitoring or outcomes reporting using the
IDI or equivalent data systems.

5. Equity / Risk
Any analysis, reports, or targeted briefings addressing inequities,
suicide risk, self-harm risk, health loss, or comorbidity for people with
ADHD, and any actions taken or proposed in response.

If any Mâori data governance or Mâori equity considerations were applied
when deciding whether to collect, categorise, or monitor ADHD-related
information, please provide the relevant documents.

Rainbow+/Takatâpui populations: Please include any analysis or data
relating to ADHD outcomes, or confirm if such data are not collected.

If no such analysis exists, please confirm this.

6. Rights / Compliance
Any assessments or advice since 2015 considering obligations relevant to
ADHD under:
the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act
the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)
accessibility and non-discrimination requirements (including Human Rights
Act 1993 and NZBORA s19).

7. Oversight Position
Please confirm whether Manatû Hauora currently holds policy or
service-delivery oversight for ADHD, or whether this function is formally
assigned elsewhere.

If no agency holds this role, please confirm this.

If information is not held
If your agency does not hold some or all of the information requested,
that absence also helps clarify how ADHD is currently tracked and managed
across the system. Please confirm if the information is not held, and
include any existing documents or correspondence that record a decision
not to collect or monitor ADHD-related information.

Please also specify how related matters are categorised (e.g., under
neurodiversity, mental health, disability, or other categories).”

 

The Ministry of Health has decided to extend the period of time available
to respond to your request under section 15A of the Official Information
Act 1982 (the Act) as the request 
necessitates a search through a large quantity of information
and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with the operations of
the Ministry and the consultations necessary to make
a decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit. 

 

You can now expect a response to your request on, or before, 17 February
2026. 

 

You have the right, under section 28 of the Act, to ask the Ombudsman to
review my decision to extend the time available to respond to your
request. 

 

 

Ngâ mihi,

 

 

OIA Services Team

Ministry of Health | Manatû Hauora

 

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Kia ora Elspeth,
 

Thank you for your request for information received on 13 January
2026. Please find attached our response to your request.
 

If you have any questions, please get in touch
at [1][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.
 

Ngā mihi, 
 
Peteli 

Government Services (OIA) 

[2][email address] 

[3]A blue and white sign AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora 

 
Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
delete this message

References

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