Media release from the Waikato District Health Board

Waiting times at Waikato District Health Board's Emergency Departments continue to decrease as staff work to achieve the government's six-hour target.

Quarter three results released today rank the DHB at 16th, with 81 per cent - up from 79 per cent the previous quarter - of patients assessed, treated and admitted or discharged within six hours.

The Shorter Stays in Emergency Departments target is six hours for 95 per cent of patients.

Health Waikato chief operating officer Jan Adams is pleased to see ongoing improvement at a time when presentations to the departments are at an all time high.

"We are a large organisation and we see a large number of patients.

"Waikato Hospital staff, in particular, are coping with a huge, unpredictable increase of patients, some of whom are very complex cases.

"This obviously makes achieving the target that bit harder but I congratulate all the areas for their ongoing focus. We can and will continue to improve," she said.

Waikato DHB's figures for the ED target include Thames and Waikato hospitals.

Individually, Thames Hospital was 91.83 per cent on 3642 attendances while Waikato Hospital had 80.7 per cent of its 14,104 patients admitted, treated or discharged within six hours.

Both hospitals experienced an increase of patients in the third quarter, but Waikato jumped up by 566 patients since the second quarter, 902 more than the period last year.

Chief executive Craig Climo said last month's result was 85 percent, showing the DHB continues to make good solid progress.

Waikato Hospital ED nurse manager Jenni Yeates said March was a record month for the department with 4999 patients.

"Previously our busiest month was August with 4842 patients and that's in the middle of winter.

"We're getting more unwell patients coming in with an increasing amount of complexity for each case and that means more staff resources and time is required," she said.

Mrs Yeates said the department is working with the rest of the hospital to create sustainable change.

"Our processes are improving and we have seen a huge drop in the average wait time for patients as a result."

The department now has 50 per cent of patients gone within four hours, down from six hours, and 95 per cent are gone within eight hours, down from 10.

Results from Waikato DHB's other hospitals, although not included in the national results, also rated well against the target:

• Te Kuiti - 96.57 per cent from 733 presentations
• Taumarunui - 99.24 per cent from 1335 presentations
• Tokoroa: 96.76 per cent from 2514 presentations.