Submissions

NZCSRH joined 23 other organisations and academics working in the fields of health, safety, rights and education of young people, to express our opinion on the draft framework for relationships and sexuality education, including our concern about the exclusion of gender diversity.

The group calls for the inclusion of comprehensive, evidence-based education on gender and sexuality diversity to ensure all young people in Aotearoa can learn about themselves and each other in a safe, inclusive environment — in line with international best practice and to help reduce discrimination and harm.

Read the full letter sent on 9th May 2025.

The New Zealand College of Sexual and Reproductive Health (NZCSRH) strongly supports the improved equity that funding desogestrel oral contraceptive pill (OCP) would provide. 

Desogestrel OCP is the only ORAL progesterone only contraception that is designed to stop ovulation. At present people who are not able to use the combined oral contraceptive pill either due to contraindications or side effects do not have another oral option that is likely to have the benefit profile of desogestrel OCP. 

Presently the lack of funding of Cerazette creates an inequity as the cost of it limits this treatment option which as well as being a contraceptive is included within the recommendations for endometriosis management and thus pelvic pain. 

Read the full submission made to Pharmac on 14th Feb 2025, by Dr Helen Paterson (Deputy Chair) and Dr Jo Lambert (Chair) on behalf of the NZCSRH.  

As a member of the Council of Medical Colleges (CMC), NZCSRH supported the submission on the Principles of the Treaty Bill.

The CMC strongly opposed the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill. The proposed legislation risks undermining the Crown’s obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, significantly harming efforts to address persistent health inequities, particularly those experienced by Māori. Members of the CMC are committed to equitable and culturally safe healthcare for all, and we stand firmly as allies of Te Tiriti principles.

Read the full letter made on 6th Jan 2025, by the Council of Medical Colleges.

As a member of the Council of Medical Colleges (CMC), NZCSRH supported the submission on the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance (HPCA) Act initial policy change proposals.

The CMC advocates for collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand to refine scopes of practice and avoid fragmented services, prioritising patient safety and system efficiency.

Read the full submission made on 10th March 2025, by the Council of Medical Colleges.

As a member of the Council of Medical Colleges (CMC), NZCSRH supported the submission on the Principles of the Treaty Bill.

The CMC support, in principle, legislative changes to increase patients’ access to medicines and the intention to do this by reducing some of the barriers to access currently in the Medicines Act 1981 (the Act) as long as clinical safety and broader patient safety remains paramount. We support expansion of prescribing as long as it is prescribing by health practitioners who have the relevant training for what they are prescribing and in the right supervised environment.

Read the full submission made on 19th May 2025, by the Council of Medical Colleges.

As a member of the Council of Medical Colleges (CMC), NZCSRH supported the submission to the Health and Disability Commission on informed consent.

The CMC agrees patients should not be involved in teaching without giving informed consent, providers of health and disability services must have a robust system and culture to obtain that, and senior clinicians and teachers must model good transparent consent processes to their colleagues.

The CMC draws attention to the difference between teaching medical students where guidance is clear, and teaching doctors in training which is tricky and nuanced with best practice still evolving.

The CMC supports the recommendation for Health NZ to report back on progress in developing a national policy on informed consent and associated documentation.

Read the full submission made on 17th March 2025, by the Council of Medical Colleges.