National’s Health Targets
National has announced five health targets for a National-led Government. They are:
- Shorter stays in emergency department – 95% of patients to be admitted, discharged or transferred from an emergency department within six hours.
- Faster cancer treatment – 85% of patients to receive cancer management within 31 days of the decision to treat.
- Improved immunisation – 95% of two-year-olds receiving their full age-appropriate immunisations.
- Shorter wait times for first specialist assessment – a meaningful reduction in the number of people waiting more than four months to see a specialist (target to be set in government).
- Shorter wait times for surgery – a meaningful reduction in the number of people waiting more than four months for surgery (target to be set in government).
The last National Government showed that setting targets and publicly reporting on them does work.
In 2008 only 70% of ED patients were “seen” within six hours. By 2014 it was 94%. Today it has dropped to 78%.
In 2008 only 76% of two year olds were fully immunised. National got it to 93% and it has dropped back to 83% today. Even worse the rate for Maori two year-olds has dropped to 67% from 93%.
With cancer waiting times, National inherited 65% starting treatment within four weeks, and got it to 100%.
It’s time for a Government that is willing to be accountable for health outcomes.