POPLHLTH 101 : Introduction to Health Systems

Medical and Health Sciences

2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Provides an overview and understanding of the New Zealand health system, including: history of health and health service delivery in New Zealand; the role and functioning of hospitals; primary care; purchasers and funders of health services; the role of insurance and private healthcare providers.

Course Overview

In relatively rich countries such as New Zealand, health care services play a very large role in our lives and our society. In POPLHLTH 101 we examine the whole system of health and health services. We start by asking the basic questions such as 'what are health systems supposed to do?', and 'how do we know if our health system is doing well?'

By the end of the course you will have the tools to describe and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of New Zealand's health system, see how it compares to others around the world, and begin to think of ways in which it can be improved and strengthened.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Course Contacts

Professional Teaching Fellow/Course Co-ordinator:
Dr Julie Winter-Smith
email: poplhlth101@auckland.ac.nz

Dr Richard Edlin
Course Director
email: r.edlin@auckland.ac.nz

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Identify the key components of health systems including organisations, economics and professions (Capability 2.1 and 3.1)
  2. Describe and compare how public health sector roles seek to address current health issues nationally and/or internationally. (Capability 1.3, 2.1 and 3.1)
  3. Communicate academic literature about health systems by integrating source material into written academic essays and short test answers that are properly referenced and formatted. (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2 and 4.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Tutorial (individually-completed sheets) 10% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Test 15% Individual Test
Assignments 25% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3
Tutorial (individually-completed sheets)
Final Exam
Test
Assignments
Tutorial activities include worksheet activities where (1) you will have an opportunity to answer questions relating to the tutorial content and (2) you will be given a short amount of time to transfer any notes that you wish relating to lecture content onto the remaining room on the worksheet. Our intention is that these sheets will be made available to you on the day of your POPLHLTH 101 exam as material to support you in answering exam questions.  You will not be able to make changes to these sheets outside of tutorial time. 

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect two 1 hour lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 2 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 5 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including tutorials to complete components of the course.

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.

The course will not include live online events including tutorials.

Attendance on campus is required for the exam.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

There is no prescribed textbook for POPLHLTH 101. All course readings will be accessible on Talis through Canvas.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Other Information

This course is held at The University of Auckland City Campus. Lectures are at 11am-12pm on Wednesdays and 9-10am on Fridays.
Tutorials are held at 1-2pm, 2-3pm and 3-4pm Wednesdays on the Grafton Campus.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.