Over recent years, the Ministry of Health has been working with public health units (PHUs) to develop nationally consistent planning and reporting templates and strengthen alignment of PHU/DHB planning and reporting processes.

The 2015/16 Annual Plan Guidance for core public health services delivered by PHUs (alternatively called the PHU planning package), which forms part of the 2015/16 DHB Planning Package, has been developed by the Ministry-sector working group in consultation with Ministry and sector colleagues.

Please consider the whole document carefully. Section 1 of the Guidance Overview outlines the considerations and developments within the Ministry and the sector that impact on PHU annual planning. Section 2 is about the ‘mechanics’ of the 2015/16 PHU Annual Plan and its templates. Advice on the timeline for the PHU Annual Plan and its endorsement by your DHB(s) is provided at the end of this document.