20 District Health Boards
RENAL LIAISON SERVICE
STATUS: These service specifications may be
NON-MANDATORY 
amended to meet local agreement needs.
Review History
Date
Published on NSFL
July 2002
Amendments
changed to non-mandatory status by agreement with
DHB GMs Planning and Funding., added PU
MAOR0114
July 2012
Note: Contact the Service Specification Programme Manager, National
Health Board Business Unit, Ministry of Health to discuss the process and
guidance available in developing new or updating and revising existing
service specifications.
Web site address of the Nationwide Service Framework Library:
http://www.nsfl.health.govt.nz/
Renal Liaison Service
MAOR0114
1
Kaupapa/definition
This service comprises two main components:
2.

education and promotion service for organ donation and transplantation

support service for people with renal failure.
Maori Health
The service is expected to contribute to the reduction in health inequalities, the
13 priority Population Health Objectives, as well as the Maori health gain
objectives, in particular, targeting services to impact on asthma, diabetes, injury
prevention, smoking, hearing, mental health, oral health and immunisation,
including violence prevention.
The Maori Health Strategy: He Korowai Oranga is referred to and Maori Health
requirements are outlined in the General Terms and Conditions and Provider
Quality Specifications. In addition the provider arm of the DHB is to develop
and implement a Maori Health Plan that outlines how it will contribute to
improving outcomes for Maori for the services contained in this service
specification.
The Plan should include the following objectives as a minimum:
3.

How you will ensure that Maori utilisation is at least equal to the Maori
population in the provider's catchment.

How you will ensure your effectiveness and the acceptability and
accessibility of services to Maori

How links with primary care - general practice, community providers and
Maori providers will be effective for improved outcomes in Maori health;

How discharge planning and rehabilitation processes will meet the needs of
Maori;

Links with the DHB provider arm's Maori Health Plan and other contractual
quality specifications, especially consultation with Maori.

How these objectives will be monitored and measured for Maori health
outcomes.
Service Objectives
3.1
Education and promotion service for organ donation and
transplantation
Traditionally Maori have been reluctant to be organ donors and to
accept organ transplantation, because the body and body parts are
tapu to Maori according to custom and Maori traditional values. To
raise the awareness amongst the Maori community, and to generate a
better understanding of the implications of few Maori organ donors
being available to Maori needing assistance, it is expected that the
service will consult and inform Maori about the issue.
The aim of the service is to increase the:

understanding of this sensitive issue amongst Maori

availability of Maori organs for transplantation where Maori
people with renal disease require it as part of their treatment
regime.
3.2 Support service for people with renal failure
The support service for people with renal failure targets Maori people who
are beginning or undergoing treatment.
The aim of the support service is to:

generate a warm, appropriate, non-judgemental and culturally safe
environment for people with renal failure and their whanau

develop their understanding and acceptance of the condition

assist the client and their whanau with making informed decisions
about their choices.
The service operates in conjunction with the renal unit at the hospital and
with other providers such as GPs, social workers, other hospital services
and Maori providers.
4.
Scope of Services to be Provided
Key elements of the service include:

provision of education and information to Maori people about renal
failure, organ donation and organ transplantation, in order to seek
feedback, create better awareness and understanding and increase
availability of organs to those Maori undergoing treatment

co-ordination with other providers including hospital services, GPs, Maori
providers and with other community services in the area

education and advice to people with renal disease about body care,
lifestyle, nutrition and exercise.
4.1 Client Group
The support service will be targeted at Maori people with renal failure and
those undergoing treatment but does not exclude people of other
cultures. The education and advice service regarding organ donation
and transplantation will be targeted at Maori through hui and consultation
forums, advertising and appropriate media.
4.2 Service Components Required
Education and Promotion

Appropriate and accessible information and advice, and health
promotion material that empowers Maori to make informed
decisions about organ transplantation and organ donation.

Promote the increase in availability of Maori organ donors.

Access and availability of specialists (GPs and renal units).

Education and information from a Maori perspective promoting and
understanding Maori view of health in terms of:
taha tinana
taha wairua
taha hinengaro
taha whanau.





Reporting to the Ministry of Health on feedback from consultation
and other hui in order to assist with development of appropriate
policies and purchasing decisions involving renal services.
Links with other Providers

Integration with other providers, and systems of information
sharing and or referral with GPs.

Links with local GPs, Maori providers and other providers as
appropriate.
Support Services for People with Renal Disease

Provide information to promote understanding for individuals and
whanau of the client’s condition and to facilitate informed
decisions.

Provide information about available services to individuals and
whanau.
4.3 Provision and Level of Service
Advice and access to services will be provided from (Insert Service
Coverage Area) between the hours 8.30 am - 5.00 p.m., five days per
week (Monday to Friday) and via the Renal Unit at the hospital. However
some services will be delivered in the home. Education and health
promotion hui will be conducted on marae or other venues as considered
appropriate to attract targeted clientele, supplemented by advertising and
use of media outlets (Maori radio, Maori newspapers).
4.4 Key Linkages
The service is required to demonstrate good linkages with:

hospital service providers, including renal transplant co-ordinators
where appropriate

local general practitioners and practice nurses

Maori providers

other local health care providers including ambulance service,
public health nurses, district nurses, etc

local providers of social and community services, eg, local schools
and Te Kohanga Reo, Department of Work and Income staff,
information and advisory services, public health unit activities.
You will have written protocols and systems in place to facilitate these linkages.
4.5 Access to the Service
Access will be via:
5.

self referral

referral by GP

referral by whanau, marae, Maori providers

referral by renal unit.
Quality Requirements
Philosophy
The Ministry of Health wishes to purchase health services for people which
meet the needs of the communities served. In doing so, particular attention
must be paid to Maori health gain priority areas, and the New Zealand Health
Strategy population health priorities and the Maori Health Strategy (Ministry of
Health 2001).
In regard to Maori health services specifically, the Ministry of Health sees this
service as meeting the following Government and Ministry of Health objectives:

ensuring purchasing arrangements enable greater participation by Iwi
and Maori groups

ensuring services provided for Maori are culturally appropriate

being responsive to aspirations and interests of Maori

recognising the tikanga and mana of each Iwi in the region

being aware that Iwi have their own vision for health.
In addition to the general quality requirements, the following quality
requirements apply to this service:

provision of information to eligible people about hours of availability and
ways of making contact in an emergency

assessment of effectiveness and acceptability through hui or public
meetings, which are held at least six-monthly

seek feedback from whanau that the service is meeting their needs and
that knowledge about health has improved or increased

develop relationships with hospital services providing services in other
parts of the region. This may be through renal unit staff and/or Maori
support/social workers/Maori providers.
6.
6.1
Reporting Requirements
Purchase Unit and Reporting Requirements
Purchase
unit ID
Purchase
unit short
name
Purchase
unit
measure
MAOR0114
Maori
Primary
Health Renal
Liaison
Service
Clients
Reporting requirements
Frequency
Quarterly
Hui
Reporting units

Number of new clients Total By
ethnicity* (New Zealand Maori,
Pakeha, Other European, Samoan,
Cook Island Maori, Tongan,
Niuean, Chinese, Indian, Other).

Number of new clients by referral
source: self referral, GP referral,
whanau, marae, other Maori
Providers, Hospital Renal Unit,
Other.

Number of clients exiting the
service per quarter

Number of on-going hospital clients
supported

Number of other on-going clients
supported

Total number of clients using the
service

Number of clients on dialysis
treatment

Number of clients who have had a
renal transplant



Narrative
Reports



Annual

Reports for Maori population health
education hui
Reports for Maori Provider hui
Reports on supporting and
facilitating the implementation of
Renal Support Groups in
designated area
Brief narrative report on education
and promotion hui (feedback from
attendees)
Brief narrative report on Maori
providers attending education and
promotion hui
Narrative report on the system
developed to monitor extent of
impact of organ transplantation
education on rate of organ
transplants (Maori) undertaken by
(insert name of local hospital)
Number of annual regional
consultation and education hui
informing and educating Maori
about organ donation and
transplantation.
*Ethnicity is recorded as perceived by the family/whanau. People may therefore perceive themselves as
belonging to /ore than one ethnic group. Ethnicity is to be reported according to the following priority system: if
perceived ethnicity includes:

Maori, report as Maori

Pacific, report as Pacific

otherwise, report as Other
6.
Financial and Services Reporting
Service Reports
The provider will report on service delivery and programme development progress
using the performance indicators specified in the Schedules.
Service reports for each quarter
1st quarter ended 30 September (insert year)
2nd quarter ended 31 December
3rd quarter ended 31 March
4th quarter ended 30 June
Report due by
20 October (insert year)
20 January
20 April
20 July
Financial Reports
The provider will supply the following financial reports to the Ministry of Health.
Financial reports for each quarter
1st quarter ended 30 September (insert year)
2nd quarter ended 31 December
3rd quarter ended 31 March
4th quarter ended 30 June
Reports due by
20 October (insert year)
20 January
20 April
20 July
Monthly payments will be suspended if reports are not received by the due date.
The reports are to consist of an Income and Expenditure Account (accrued), Balance
Sheet and a Cashflow Statement (not accrued).
Draft end of year reports (Income and Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet) are
to be supplied to the Ministry of Health within one month of the end of the financial
year, ie, 31 July 2001. The provider will use its best endeavours to have audited end
of year financial reports (Income and Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet)
supplied to the Ministry of Health within three months of the end of the financial year,
ie, 30 September 2001.