One-off cash boost for Wellington cancer treatment

Patients receiving radiation treatment at the Wellington Cancer Centre are expected to start their treatment at least a day earlier than they currently do, thanks to a new patient information management system.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says, “The Government has approved one-off funding of $167,000 which will be used to combine electronic and paper-based information, and allow clinicians to access patient information electronically from multiple locations.

“This investment in the Wellington Cancer Centre means clinicians can make the most of their time, wherever they are located.

"It’s a relatively simple thing that will improve efficiency and result in time savings that will mean patients start treatment sooner.

“We are providing a total of more than $3.5 million in one-off funding to Cancer Centres to support their plans to reduce waiting times and improve care for patients.

“Radiotherapy is proven to reduce the impact of a range of cancers. A six week wait time was the target for all DHBs, and this target will move to four weeks from the end of this year.

“National promised to reduce the length of time people had to wait for radiation treatment, and we have achieved this by listening to and supporting the hard working staff at DHBs around the country,” Tony Ryall says.

ENDS

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