Hon Tony Ryall
Minister of Health

28 February 2012 Media statement
More patients getting key health services

The latest quarterly results for the six National Health Targets show record improvements.

"District Health Boards are focusing even more strongly on patients, and patients are benefiting from the Government's $1.5 billion extra funding over the past three years," says Health Minister Tony Ryall.

"These achievements have undoubtedly been helped by the fact that DHBs employed an extra 800 doctors and 2000 nurses during this period.

Between October and December last year:

• Emergency Departments recorded their best ever result. 238,000 patients went to an ED, and around 220,000 were admitted, discharged or transferred within six hours. That is 92 per cent of patients against a target of 95 per cent.

• Every cancer patient ready for radiation treatment started within four weeks of their first specialist assessment. This is the world gold standard for cancer treatment and we are extending the target to include medical oncology patients in the middle of the year.

• DHBs performed 76,000 elective surgeries, 3,000 and four per cent ahead of schedule.

In the preventive health targets:

• Of the 16,600 children who turned two between October and December, more than 15,200 were fully immunised. That's 92 per cent, against a target of 95 per cent. And there's virtually no gap between ethnic groups. (The new immunisation target designed to protect children even younger starts next quarter – 95 per cent of eight month olds completing their scheduled vaccinations by the end of 2014.)

• Over 31,000 of the 35,000 smokers hospitalised were given support to quit. That's an 89.3 per cent strike rate, up from 88.1 per cent.

• The Better Diabetes and Cardiovascular Services health target improved slightly to 74 per cent. A much clearer target ‘More heart and diabetes checks’ starts next quarter.

"We continue to increase funding and services, and productivity and efficiency are improving," says Mr Ryall.

"In the past 3 years, DHBs have treated and cared for record numbers of patients - around 60,000 more elective operations, 92 per cent of all two year olds fully immunised compared to less than 70 per cent three years ago, and radiation and chemotherapy waiting times now no longer than four weeks."

A copy of all of the results is available at www.moh.govt.nz

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