Statement attributable to Dr Dale Bramley, Interim Chief Executive Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora has today published its quarter 2 results for the five health targets.

The results show steady progress overall with three out of five targets (faster cancer treatment, shorter stays in emergency departments, and immunisation rates for children) all showing improvements since last quarter.

Overall, this quarter’s results are encouraging and show we’re on the right track.

Across the five health targets, I’m pleased to see improvements in three of our focus areas – faster access to cancer treatment, improved immunisation rates for children and shorter stays in emergency departments

Recent initiatives such the opening of transit lounges in North Shore and Palmerston North hospitals and an ED observation unit in Canterbury are supporting improvements in performance for the shorter stays in emergency departments target.

With Pharmac now funding ten new cancer medicines, people can get faster access to the care they need once a decision is made to treat.  Lakes, Wairarapa, Whanganui and Hutt Valley are already exceeding the 90 per cent target.

Across the country we’re working to improve performance through initiatives like a new nurse-led chemotherapy infusion unit opened at Bay of Islands Hospital reducing the need for patients to travel to Whangārei.

For quarter two we have seen a 1.3% improvement in children being fully immunised at 24 months of age when compared to quarter one.

Together with our partners across the health sector we are committed to maintaining this momentum and to achieve this we are implementing initiatives across five action areas:

  • increasing targeted and opportunistic immunisation for priority populations.
  • enabling best practice immunisation efforts
  • increase whānau and community engagement
  • increase workforce capacity and capability
  • improve data technological capability.

Canterbury is currently leading the way in achieving the immunisation target, with a sharp increase from 85.9 per cent in quarter one, to 87.8 per cent this quarter. Southern are very close behind, at 87.7 per cent.

I acknowledge that wait times remain a challenge, with first specialist assessments and elective treatment targets both seeing a decline compared to last quarter.

A state-of-the-art ear, nose and throat mobile van commenced operation in Northland this quarter and a complete cataract care pathway launched at Kaitaia Hospital in September 2024 and is focused on reducing wait times and provides for up to 20 patients per month to receive end-to-end care.

A recent boost to outsourcing and insourcing will increase the number of procedures we are able to deliver. Districts and regions have also established theatre productivity and efficiency programmes to optimise capacity. This includes a focus on increasing theatre utilisation, driving down cancellations and theatre late starts/early finishes.

Whilst we have seen a decline in both first specialist assessments and elective treatment targets nationally this quarter, it is encouraging to see some districts showing improvements. Waikato appears to be on a steady upwards trajectory on the elective treatment target, sitting at 73.4 per cent this quarter. Lakes continues to lead the way in the first specialist assessment target, sitting very close to the goal at 94.7 per cent.

Health NZ remains committed to making improvements in each target.  These health targets aren’t just about measuring performance of the system, they’re about people. Behind every number is an individual, a family, many waiting in pain and families anxious for their loved ones to access the care that they need.

At its heart, the targets are about providing New Zealanders with the best healthcare possible.