Services being managed under the National Services programme, including those funded through top slice, may face situations where there may be an impact on clinical performance or quality caused by an increase in demand for the service, or the cost of providing the service. 

The key elements of the process to review a National Service’s funding are that there is a:

• known timetable for consideration of funding requests, where these can be considered and prioritised in association with other local priorities
• transparent and clear expectation of the information required to support a review of funding.

Existing endorsed National Services are within scope for this Funding Review Process.  Further information is available in  the Funding Process Review (docx, 2.2 Mb)

Process

The request to review a National Service’s funding is initiated by submission of a completed Funding Review Initiation template to the Ministry of Health.  A Funding Review may be initiated either by a host DHB, or any DHBs referring patients to the service, particularly where there are changes in technology or models of care that impact on how and where services are provided.

Funding Review Initiation templates will be reviewed by the National Services Governance Group.  If the request is supported, a business case will be required.

Business cases will be reviewed initially by the National Services Governance Group.  If supported, the business case will be considered by DHB General Managers Planning and Funding.

Funding adjustments

For a funding adjustment to be approved a business case requesting a review of a National Service’s funding must be tabled at one of the Governance Group quarterly meetings, which are generally held in March, June, September and December of each year.  All requests must be sent at least 10 days before the meeting date. For further information on upcoming meeting dates please contact Jane Potiki, Principal Advisor, National & Elective Services, [email protected].

If supported by the Governance Group the business case will be submitted to DHB funders at their next meeting.

Templates

The templates required to progress a funding review are available below.

• Funding review initiation (docx, 438.9 KB) 
• National Service funding request - minor (docx, 445.3 KB)
• National Service funding request - major (452.89 KB)