Hon Tony Ryall
Minister of Health
23 March 2012
Health Minister congratulates MidCentral DHB

Health Minister Tony Ryall is in Palmerston North today to congratulate MidCentral DHB on its achievements in the National Health Targets.

“MidCentral's staff have made great progress in improving key hospital and community services.

"Over the past three years, the Government has invested $1.5 billion of new money into the public health service, including over $55 million extra funding to MidCentral DHB.

"The DHB has invested this extra funding into more services supported by 19 more frontline doctors (junior and senior) and 40 more nurses (excluding health care assistants).

"More patients are being treated faster at Palmerston North Hospital's emergency department with latest data showing 91 per cent of patients are seen within the six hour waiting time target. They're also providing record levels of elective surgery.

“This government has made effective disease prevention a real priority, and MidCentral is making great strides in this.

"Immunisation is vital for preventing many childhood diseases. Preliminary results for this quarter show the DHB, through the hard work of their GP clinics, has hit the 95 per cent two year old immunisation target three months early! This includes an astounding 96 per cent coverage of Maori kids.

Mr Ryall also congratulated the local cancer team for their work, and wished them well with the commissioning of a new multi-million dollar Linac radiation machine due to start treating patients in July.

ENDS

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