Toitū te Waiora is pleased to announce NZQA approval of a new suite of long-term health condition micro-credentials that can be assessed by skill standards and ‘stacked’ to award of the New Zealand Certificate in Long-Term Health Conditions qualification [Ref:5299] (Level 3) (55 credits).
The suite enables carers, support workers, and health professionals to:
These have been developed in collaboration with Diabetes New Zealand, Arthritis NZ Mateponapona Aotearoa, Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand, and the Heart Foundation, with support from Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora. The learning pathway aims to enhance the knowledge and confidence of carers, support workers, and health professionals in supporting individuals and whānau living with long-term health conditions.
Open Polytechnic, which delivers online distance learning throughout New Zealand, is intending to seek accreditation to award the new micro-credentials, with delivery to commence early in 2026.
The suite consists of:
DASS skill standards
Five new skill standards were listed in the Directory of Assessment and Skill Standards (DASS) in February 2025. They can be used for assessment in programmes of study leading to individual micro-credential awards, the 55-credit New Zealand Certificate in Long-Term Health Conditions qualification, and where desired, in programmes of study leading to other health and wellbeing qualifications.
NZQCF micro-credentials (10 or 15 credits each)
Five new micro-credentials were approved by NZQA in August 2025, and will be published in due course on the NZQCF. Learners can complete each micro-credential separately, choosing the topics most relevant to their work or learning goals. If a learner completes all five micro-credentials they will be eligible for award of the New Zealand Certificate in Long-Term Health Conditions (Level 3) (55 credits)*.
*Information on stacking micro-credentials is published in NZQA’s Guidelines for micro-credential listing, approval and accreditation.
New Zealand Certificate in Long-Term Health Conditions (Level 3, 55 credits)
The level 3 New Zealand Certificate in Long-Term Health Conditions qualification was approved by NZQA in May 2025.
Providers can choose to deliver a programme of study leading to the qualification – assessed by skill standards – or award the qualification when a learner has completed the five separate micro-credentials.
