24 July 2026
Our annual national hui with the Child & Youth Health National Clinical Network (CYHNCN) brought together Clinical Network Chairs, Project Coordinators, Governance Group members, the PSNZ team, and key partners from across the motu for a full day of connection, reflection, and planning.
It was a day that reminded us why clinical networks matter so much right now for our young people, and for the health system we're all working to strengthen together.
A new name, the same purpose
This year's hui marked a transition, as our network moved from NZCYCN to CYHNCN under Health New Zealand's National Clinical Network framework. The name has changed (slightly), but our purpose hasn't: identifying what will improve the health of tamariki and rangatahi, promoting consistent, best practice care nationwide, and keeping tamariki, rangatahi and whānau at the centre of everything we do.
Lived experience as a foundation
One of the highlights of the day came from our Lived Experience Navigators (LENs) Rōpū. Hearing directly from LENs members about what it means to bring lived experience into clinical decision-making was a powerful reminder that the best health outcomes come from genuine partnership, not just with clinicians, but with the people and whānau these services are designed for.
A network in action across the system
Chairs and Coordinators from our ten Clinical Networks and the Transition of Care project shared a genuinely impressive year of progress. A few highlights:
- Child Protection deepened its partnership work, including a joint satellite day with the Neurodevelopment Network, a new foundation-level child protection training module, and progress on a national approach to sharing health information safely.
- Respiratory & Sleep published a national stocktake of paediatric respiratory services and advocated to the Ministry and PHARMAC for RSV prevention (Nirsevimab), alongside work on a national difficult asthma registry.
- Eczema refreshed the national eczema resource suite and is progressing a new national HealthPathways pathway, with a growing focus on equity and Māori partnership.
- Newborn secured funding for a Neonatal Formulary and updated national guidance on care at 23–24 weeks’ gestation, drawing on lived experience and local data.
- Neurodevelopment published new Down syndrome guidance and is reviewing cerebral palsy resources, alongside a new workstream supporting children with an unassessable intellectual disability.
- Diabetes published Australasian peri-procedural guidelines, made PHARMAC submissions on continuous glucose monitoring, and translated nutrition resources for rangatahi into Te Reo Māori, Samoan and Tongan.
- Palliative Care welcomed new members, grew attendance at its education forums, and continued advocacy for a national paediatric palliative care service.
- Neurology completed the localisation of all three national seizure pathways and published new whānau education resources.
- Gastroenterology completed the first phase of a biliary atresia screening review, with a business case now endorsed to progress.
- General Paediatrics held its first face-to-face meeting and agreed three priority workstreams: ADHD, outpatient demand and access equity, and RSV prophylaxis.
Common threads ran through every update: growing collaboration between networks, a sharpening equity focus, and active, coordinated advocacy with external agencies.
A particular highlight was hearing rangatahi voices directly, through work on Transition of Care principles — grounded in mātauranga Māori and shaped by consultation with young people and over 130 health workforce providers. Their message was simple and clear - “Nothing about us without us.”
Looking at the bigger picture
The afternoon focused on how national and regional networks connect, an important conversation as the health system continues to evolve. We talked openly about the opportunities and risks of change, the importance of whānau-centred care closer to home, and how clinical networks can help shape a system that works for everyone, regardless of where they live.
Where to next
Time was spent thinking about the future: how we strengthen our impact on equitable care, what our priorities should be over the next 1–3 years, and how we can keep improving access and outcomes for tamariki Māori and other priority populations. The ideas were practical, honest, strategic, and reflected a workforce genuinely dedicated to improving health outcomes for young people in Aotearoa.
Thank you
Thank you to everyone who gave their time, expertise, and energy to this hui. Whether you joined us in person or online, your contribution helps make sure tamariki in Aotearoa flourish in health and wellness. 💕