Media release from Waitemata District Health Board

Waitemata District Health Board has again been awarded an 'outstanding' achievement by the Ministry of Health for increasing the number of people receiving elective surgery at its hospitals.

The government just released its end of year health target statistics comparing all 21 DHBs progress against its six set health targets.

The results show we have exceeded our elective surgery target - delivering 106 per cent - which places us sixth against the other DHBs in New Zealand. This means that more people than ever before are receieving surgical treatment from the DHB.

In addition, Waitemata DHB was placed first equal on the cancer target of ensuring all patients requiring radiation therapy were seen in the week time frame.

Compared to the first quarter, Waitemata DHB also achieved one of the largest increases in performance in the emergency care target of ensuring 95 per cent of people being admitted, discharged or transferred from emergency departments within six hours. Waitemata is now at 74 per cent - a marked increase of 13 per cent since the quarter one result of 61% .

Dr Dale Bramley, Waitemata DHB deputy chief executive officer is pleased with the results.

"It's a credit to staff's hard work under difficult circumstances. We still have a way to go yet, but are are getting closer to achieving our goal of becoming one of the top performing DHBs in the country across all the health targets" says Dr Bramley.

Dr Bramley says despite higher than expected demands to its hospitals emergency departments this winter, there has been a push to tackle bed shortages and increase staff recruitment.

The government's other health targets are; increased immunisation; better help for smoker in hospital to quit; and better diabetes and cardiovascular services.

Dr Bramley added; "The DHB's focus on helping smokers to quit has seen our ranking move from the second to bottom of the country to ninth over the year. Our results have improved from 5 per cent to 57 per cent - an improvement of 52 per cent during 2009/10, and one that we are particulary proud of highlighting ."

Waitemata DHB also reached the target of 85 per cent of children under two who are immunised and is well on track to meet the 2010/11 target of 90% with an achievement of 87 percent in quarter four.