16 April 2008
Health support service to be established for dioxin-exposed people
The Government has considered an independent report on recommendations for a health support service for people who
lived near or worked at the former Ivon Watkins Dow plant at Paritutu, New Plymouth.
The recommendations in the report have been accepted, and the Government has instructed the Ministry of Health to work
with district health boards to implement a service in line with the recommendations.
The full report will be released by Allen and Clarke Policy and Regulatory Specialists Ltd at a public meeting held in
Taranaki on 29 April 2008. The release will involve Allen & Clarke presenting its findings and recommendations about the scope of the service and the eligibility criteria for
residents, ex-residents, and workers.
Copies of the full report and a summary document will be made available at this meeting.
Officials from the Ministry of Health and the Taranaki District Health Board will also attend this meeting. They will
describe the implementation work required to establish the eligibility assessment process and the health support service
components. The service will be implemented by 1 July 2008.
No further details about the service will be available until the public meeting on 29 April.
ENDS