DHBs doing better with health targets

The latest quarterly stats on the DHB Health Targets have been published. They show:

• Cancer patients waiting less than four weeks for radiotherapy or chemotherapy – 99% (was 65% under Labour)
• Emergency Department treatment within six hours – 94% (was 70% under Labour)
• Elective operations at 107% of target (84,022 in 6 months up from 118,000 in 12 months under Labour)
• 94% of 8 month olds are immunised (was 76% under Labour)
• 92% of Maori 8 month olds are immunised (was 78% in 2012)
• 96% of Pacific 8 month olds are immunised (was 87% in 2012)
• 95% of smokers in hospital given advice or help to quit (was 17%)
• 89% of smokers seeing a primary health care practitioner given advice or help to quit (was 40%)
• 87% have had a cardiovascular assessment in last five years (was 46%)

The performance of our heath system is one of the more important things to New Zealanders. Despite the tight fiscal conditions, National has shown sustained significant improvements in outcomes.