Delivering the Strategy

As at 2002, statistics indicate motor vehicle traffic crashes; suicide and deliberate self-harm; falls; workplace injuries (including occupational diseases); assault; and drowning and near-drowning account for at least 80% of injury deaths and serious injuries in New Zealand. These six areas have been identified as national injury prevention priority areas.

Specific government agencies lead the co-ordination of national strategies and supporting action plans for these identified priority areas as part of the Implementation Plan for the Strategy. This involves lead agencies co-ordinating the appropriate involvement of contributing agencies, as well as ensuring an appropriate governance structure for these national strategies is in place.

In implementing the New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy, national strategies for injury prevention priority areas build on and/or take into account any existing related strategies where possible.

Most injuries and their consequences can be prevented. The benefits of injury prevention are considerable, they include:

For Benefits
Individuals, families and whanau
- Continued quality of life
- Ongoing participation in work, play, sport, leisure and educational activities.
- Preservation of income and assets.
Organisations and businesses
- Minimising disruption to operations.
- Increased productivity.
- Retention of valued staff.
- Reduced ACC levies.
The wider community
- A safer and more productive population.
- Decreased demands on the healthcare system.

Through its mandate, which requires it to cost-effectively address injuries across a broad range of settings and circumstances, ACC will always have a strong focus on injury prevention. Therefore, ACC works closely with other lead agencies so that the Implementation Plan for the New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy and the action plans for the other national strategies are co-ordinated.

Strategy review

The first review of the New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy is scheduled for 2008.