launched the "New Zealand Primary Health Care Strategy" (PHCS) with the goal of improving public access to primary health care and reducing health inequalities. By 2008, the Primary Health Care Strategy had succeeded in reducing fees for doctors' and nurses' visits in "higher need areas" and for patients aged over 65 years. In addition, consultation rates increased across all age, socio-economic, and ethnic groups in New Zealand. As part of the PHCS programme, the Government encouraged the development of Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) to provide some primary health care services at the local level and to transition health care services from fee-for-service arrangements to capitation funding for health professionals who are members of these organisations. By early April 2003, 34 PHOs had been established throughout New Zealand. In addition, the Fifth Labour Government established District health board (DHBs) in 2001 as subsidiary organisations of the Health Ministry. They were responsible for providing and funding health services within a defined geographical area. At the time of their dissolution in July 2022, there were twenty DHBs. They were also responsible for running hospitals and funding some health provisions in their respective areas. Funding for these DHBs was allocated according to the Ministry's population-based funding formula. Sixth Labour Government, 2017–present In April 2021, the Sixth Labour Government announced that DHB system would be abolished and replaced by three new entities: a centralised agency called Health New Zealand, a Māori Health Authority (MHA) to fund Māori health services, and a Public Health Agency to centralise public health work. In October 2021, the Government introduced a parliamentary bill called the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill, which created the new public health entities and strengthened the Health Ministry's stewardship role. This bill passed into law on 7 June 2022. On 1 July, the Pae Ora (Health Futures) Act came into effect; with Health New Zealand, the MHA, and the Health Ministry's Public Health Agency assuming the district health boards' former provision of healthcare services. Structure So-called "business units" of the Ministry include: Evidence Research and Innovation directorate Strategy Policy and Legislation directorate Māori Health directorate Public Health Agency Regulatory Services directorate System Performance & Monitoring directorate Government & Executive Services directorate Corporate Services directorate Chief Clinical Officers Chief Nurse Chief Medical Officer Chief Allied Health Professions Officer Others Medsafe carries out medical regulatory functions within the Ministry. The former National Health Board (NHB), which was set