Better frontline health services for Tauranga
Simon Bridges has welcomed the release of the latest national health targets, which show the Bay of Plenty District Health Board is continuing to make improvements and deliver more frontline services.
"Bay of Plenty DHB continues to deliver important health services in key target areas, including elective surgeries, heart and diabetes checks, and shorter waits for cancer treatment," Simon Bridges said.
"This focus on the frontline is paying off and delivering real results. The nationwide target for elective surgery was exceeded, with a total of 40,099 discharges in the year to date - 2002 more than the target. The Bay of Plenty DHB is exceeding its targets at 117 per cent.
"All DHBs, including Bay of Plenty, are ensuring every patient who needs radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment receives it within the four week gold standard. This is the first time that chemotherapy wait times have been included in the target.
"The Bay of Plenty DHB is also steadily increasing the number of people who have had heart and diabetes checks, with 65 per cent of eligible patients having had a check in the last five years, up from 62 per cent in the previous quarter.
"There was also better help for smokers in Tauranga to quit, with 93 per cent of smokers hospitalised given advice and help to quit.
"The National Health Targets are focussing health resources on results and helping to ensure that every health dollar is spent wisely.
"The Bay of Plenty DHB's positive outcomes show that our focus on delivering better, faster and more convenient frontline health services is resulting in increasingly improved health care for patients and their families," Simon Bridges said.
