Dear Health New Zealand,

I am an investigative journalist and I make this request under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) in the public interest. I am seeking information relating to two cervical screening resource publications produced by or on behalf of Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora (formerly the Ministry of Health) for distribution to rainbow communities: publication codes HE1191 and HE1192, issued in or around January 2024. These materials adopt gender-inclusive language - including the phrase "people with a cervix" - as a departure from the language used in standard cervical screening resources.

The information sought below relates to the financial costs of producing these materials, the decision-making process underpinning the language approach adopted, the policy basis for that approach, and any health equity analysis conducted in connection with it. This request does not seek operational or clinically sensitive information.

1. Campaign Costs

Please provide the following information in relation to publications HE1191 and HE1192 (the "rainbow materials"):

The total design costs incurred in producing HE1191 and HE1192, including:
Photography and image licensing fees
Creative direction and art direction fees
Agency, design studio, or freelance contractor fees
The total print run quantities for HE1191 and HE1192 respectively (i.e. how many copies of each were printed)
The total printing and physical production costs for each publication
The total distribution costs associated with these materials
The name of each contractor, supplier, or agency engaged to produce or distribute these materials, and the value of each contract or procurement engagement
Whether the costs of producing HE1191 and HE1192 were separately budgeted as a distinct line item, or drawn from the broader HPV/cervical screening programme budget - specifically, whether any funding came from the $53 million HPV programme implementation fund allocated in Budget 2021

2. Language Change Decision

Please provide the following information relating to the decision to remove the words "women" and "female" from HE1191 and HE1192 and replace them with gender-neutral terminology (including "people with a cervix"):

A description of the internal process or decision-making pathway that led to this language change, including which business unit, team, or leadership level made or approved the decision
Any equality impact assessment, health equity analysis, or Tiriti o Waitangi analysis conducted in advance of, or in connection with, the language change - and if such assessments exist, please provide copies
Any ministerial briefing papers, Cabinet papers, or Cabinet directions relating to the use of gender-neutral language in public-facing cervical screening materials
Any internal communications - including emails, memoranda, meeting minutes, or decision records - in which the language change for HE1191 and/or HE1192 was discussed, proposed, or approved (for the period 1 January 2022 to 31 January 2024)
Whether the standard (non-rainbow) cervical screening materials published by Health New Zealand or its predecessor, the Ministry of Health, also use gender-neutral language that removes or replaces the words "women" or "female," and if so, when that language change was made and whether a separate decision record or approval process exists for it

3. Policy Basis

Please provide the following information regarding the policy or directive basis for the language approach adopted in HE1191 and HE1192:

The specific policy, directive, guidance document, or standard that required or recommended the use of gender-neutral language removing the words "women" or "female" in these public-facing cervical screening communications. This may include but is not limited to:
Rainbow Tick accreditation standards or requirements
Digital.govt.nz inclusive language guidance
Recommendations from the Health and Disability System Review or any Parliamentary Select Committee report (e.g. any 2021 recommendations)
Internal Health New Zealand or Te Whatu Ora communications policy
Any other whole-of-government or sector-wide directive
Whether the Public Service Act 2020 was cited, relied upon, or referenced internally as a basis for this language approach in public-facing health materials (as distinct from its application to internal employment practices)
Whether Health New Zealand holds a formal written policy on gender-inclusive language in public health communications - and if so, please provide a copy

4. Population Targeting and Health Equity Analysis

Please provide the following information regarding the targeting rationale and any health equity analysis underpinning the production of HE1191 and HE1192 as distinct rainbow-community materials:

Any analysis or documentation used to estimate the size of the intended target population for HE1191 and HE1192 - specifically, the population of AFAB (assigned female at birth) transgender and non-binary people who were the intended beneficiaries of these materials and their inclusive language
The specific data source(s) used to quantify or approximate that population, including any census data, health survey data, or research literature relied upon
Whether any analysis was conducted - or any advice sought - regarding the potential effect on cervical screening uptake among cisgender women of removing the word "women" from screening materials, including any correspondence with the National Screening Unit or its advisors on this question
Current cervical screening coverage rates, to the extent held by Health New Zealand, broken down by demographic group - including by gender identity (women versus gender-diverse individuals) if such data is collected and held

5. Distribution and Reach

Please provide the following information regarding the distribution of HE1191 and HE1192:

The total number of copies of HE1191 printed and distributed, and the total number of copies of HE1192 printed and distributed
A description of the settings and organisations to which these materials were distributed - for example: general practice clinics, sexual health clinics, family planning services, rainbow community organisations, hospital outpatient departments, or other venues
Whether HE1191 and/or HE1192 were distributed as a supplement to, or in replacement of, the standard (non-rainbow) cervical screening materials in any clinical or community setting

Format of Response

I request that information be provided in electronic form (PDF or Word document) where practicable. Where any document is withheld in whole or in part, I request that the specific OIA provision(s) relied upon be stated and that reasons be given, as required by section 19 of the Act. Where a document is partially withheld, I request that the non-withheld portions be provided in accordance with section 17.

Statutory Timeframe

I note that Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is required to respond to this request no later than 20 working days from the date of receipt, pursuant to section 15(1) of the Official Information Act 1982. If an extension is sought under section 15A, I ask that you notify me promptly and provide reasons for the extension.

If you require clarification regarding any aspect of this request, please contact me at the details above. I am happy to discuss scope if that would assist with processing.

Kind regards,
Penny Claridge