Quarter Three Results Released Today Show Continued Improvement on Health Targets Despite

What are the overall quarter three health target results?

Nationally the quarter three 2010/11 health target results show performance improvement across all of the health target areas.

The national state of emergency due to the Christchurch earthquake in February, and subsequent movement of people and services out of Christchurch, has had an impact on health target performance for all DHBs this quarter. This impact will continue to be felt for some time. In light of these circumstances, the health target results represent excellent performance particularly for Canterbury DHB.

How did each health target perform?

Shorter Stays in Emergency Departments

There was continued improvement in the shorter stays in emergency department target with a 0.7 percent increase to 88.9 percent compared to 88.2 percent for quarter two 2010/11 and 80.3 in quarter one 2009/10.

Improved Access to Elective Surgery

The national improved access to elective surgery target has been achieved, with 104,404 elective surgical discharges provided year to date, against a target of 102,859 discharges. This is 1545 (2 percent) more than planned.

Shorter Waits for Cancer Treatment Radiotherapy

Nationally, 99 percent of patients received their cancer treatment within four weeks of their first specialist radiation oncology assessment.

Increased Immunisation

The total immunisation coverage rate for children turning 24 months has increased to 89 percent. Compared with quarter two 2010/11, this is an improvement of 0.5 percent for the increased immunisation target.

Better Help for Smokers to Quit

Further progress has been made in the better help for smokers to quit target with the national average increasing from 70 percent in quarter two to 74 percent of smokers receiving help and advice to quit nationally.

Better Diabetes and Cardiovascular Services

National composite performance continues to make progress in the better diabetes and cardiovascular services health target with an increase of 0.3 per cent this quarter to 73 percent.

Most DHBs are on track to achieve their targets in the performance of CVD risk indicators and diabetes free annual checks indicator. DHBs are currently having less success achieving their 2010/11 targets for diabetes management, but nationally performance in this indicator did improve this quarter.

2 How has the move to a new four week cancer target gone this quarter?

Nationally, 99 percent of patients who were ready for treatment received their radiation treatment within four weeks of their first specialist radiation oncology assessment. Twenty-one patients waited more than four weeks for capacity reasons but all were treated within six weeks.

This is the first quarter the results of the four week cancer treatment target have been publicly reported. As a transition to the new target, both the four and six week results have been included in the national table of DHB performance.

How are we sharing information about health target innovation and service improvements?

During the quarter the Ministry of Health and the National Health Board developed a series of health target booklets to share innovation, professional learnings and service improvement across each health target area. They are

. Targeting Emergencies – Shorter stays in emergency departments http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/targeting-emergencies . Targeting More Elective Services – Improved access to elective services http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/targeting-more-elective-operations . Targeting Shorter Waits For Cancer Treatment http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/targeting-shorter-waits-cancer- treatment-health-targets . Targeting Immunisation – Increased immunisation http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/healthtargets-targets-immunisation . Targeting Smokers – Better help for smokers to quit http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/healthtargets-targets-tobacco . Targeting Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/targeting-diabetes-cardiovascular- disease

Where can I find out more information on how my DHB is performing?

More specific information on each of the health targets can be found on the Ministry of Health’s website at http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/healthtargets- reporting