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Health Minister Approves Waikato Plan
Health Minister Approves Waikato Plan
A commitment to maintain a strong financial performance while improving the quality and safety of its hospital and health services are the top two priorities for Waikato District Health Board in its just-released District Annual Plan for 2010-2011.
Health Minister Tony Ryall signed off on Waikato DHB’s plan earlier this month saying he appreciated the efforts the board and management put in over the past year to manage the DHB in a sustainable manner.
Waikato DHB had a $19 million surplus in the financial year ended 30 June 2010.
Chief executive Craig Climo said that figure represented about two per cent of the DHB’s annual budget of $1.107 billion.
“We’ll need all of that surplus and more in the future to meet our capital intentions, which total $900 million across 15 years, of which $560 million is on buildings,” he said.
Waikato DHB’s priorities for 2010/11 outlined in its District Annual Plan are:
1. financials
2. quality
improvement
3. workforce
4. chronic conditions
5. redevelopment
6. rural services.
7.
“We are planning a surplus of $8 million (in 2010/11). To achieve this result we plan to save $12.9 million by becoming more efficient and reducing costs,” said Mr Climo.
“This will enable us to focus on our core functions which are to improve the health of our population and reduce or eliminate inequalities in health.”
Savings are cash savings, whereas efficiencies are about growing throughput capacity at a lower rate of cost increase.
“We need both, with efficiencies being particularly important to our medium to long term success,” said Mr Climo.
“We will continue to build on our patient safety initiatives plus focus our attention on process improvement, hospital productivity and elective services. The positive impacts of quality improvement will flow through to our patients, staff and the public and will enable us to maintain a sharp organisational focus on our core functions.”
To read Waikato DHB’s District Annual Plan
go to www.waikatodhb.govt.nz/DAP
ends
Waikato District Health Board
Healthy People. Excellent Care
Waikato District Health Board (DHB) employs over 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 391,770 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.
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