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.

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

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Kia ora Anatoly

Thank you for your request for official information, received on 24 June
2026 for: 

My understanding is that Ōtorohanga Dental travels to Tauranga and
operates out of another dental practice for a day to provide free dental
care to eligible Bay of Plenty Mental Health and Addiction service users.

Please provide:
1. the description/scope of the dental service provided
2. eligibility criteria
3. referral pathways, referral forms, booking processes
4. information given to MHA staff, NGOs, peer support workers, community
providers, service users, or whānau about the service;
5. any current internal guidance about how staff are expected to support
MHA service users to access the service.

Health NZ is supported by many different service providers for Mental
Health and Addiction dental services in the Bay of Plenty. To respond to
your requests numbered 4 & 5, would require substantial manual collation
and research to respond to and may therefore be refused under section
18(f) of the Official Information Act (the OIA).

In order for us to collate the information in a manner that is feasible
retrievable we invite you to refine your requests numbered 4 & 5, to:

* The most recent information from Health NZ to Ōtorohanga Dental about
dental services.
* The most recent information provided to MHA staff in BOP about dental
services for service users.

If we do not hear from you by 5pm, Monday 13 July 2026, we will proceed to
make a decision on your request based on our interpretation of it.
 
Thanks
 
Anthea
 
Government Services
[1][email address]   

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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1. mailto:[email address]

Kia ora Anatoly, 
 
Thank you for your request for information regarding Ōtorohanga Dental
traveling to Tauranga on 24 June 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 [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
 
Ngā mihi, 
 
Anthea
 
 
Government Services
[3][email address]   

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

Visible links
1. mailto:[Health New Zealand request email]
2. file:///tmp/
3. mailto:[email address]