Excellent Result for West Coast Meeting Health Targets

29 May 2012

Excellent Result for West Coast Meeting National Health Targets

The West Coast DHB has improved its performance in three of the six targets and maintained its position in the other three targets measured for Quarter 3 of the 2011/12 year says Chief Executive David Meates.

The six targets measured across all DHBs are Shorter stays in Emergency Departments; Improved access to Elective Surgery; Shorter waits for Cancer Treatment; Increased Immunisation; Better help for Smokers to Quit and Better Diabetes and Cardiovascular Services.

The West Coast continues to lead the country’s 20 DHBs with its performance in the Shorter stays in Emergency Departments target.

David Meates says, “This target relies not only on patients being seen quickly in the Emergency Department, but also in the way in which the Emergency Department connects with the whole West Coast health system. Our continued excellent performance in this target requires the whole health system working together to provide as good a patient experience as possible.

“Our strong performance with regard to Improved Access to Elective Surgery shows we are currently ahead of elective surgery discharges for the year to date. The DHB performance currently sits at 107% of the health target indicating more West Coasters continue to receive the surgery they require to improve the quality of their lives.

All DHBs met the four-week target for Shorter waits for Cancer Treatment. Radiation treatment for cancer is normally carried out for West Coast patients in Christchurch.

The DHB performance in the Increased Immunisation target continues to be challenging with a significant number of West Coast parents choosing to opt-off the Immunisation Register or declining immunisation for their children. The Outreach Immunisation Service continues to assist families in getting their children immunised.

“The efforts of staff ensuring wherever possible patients who are admitted to hospital have their smoking status checked and assistance to quit is provided if appropriate have seen a significant rise in the Better help for smokers to quit performance from 86% to 92% over the previous quarter.”

“This quarter’s results confirm the ongoing commitment by the DHB to provide West Coasters with the best possible health service,” says David Meates.

More specific information on each of the health targets can be found on the Ministry of Health’s website at http://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/health-targets/how-your-dhb-performing

ENDS

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