- Hon Dr Shane Reti
The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out today.
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has revealed details of how the ambitious health targets the Government has set will be achieved on a visit to Hutt Valley Hospital today.
"Earlier this year, I announced an ambitious new direction for health, reinvigorating five targets badly neglected by the previous government.
"Our targets are now tightly focused on five things that really matter: faster cancer treatment, increasing childhood immunisation, shorter stays in emergency departments and shorter wait times for assessments and treatment.
"We are planning to establish more community infusion centres so patients can access their chemotherapy closer to home.
"We will expand the number of beds and operating theatres in public hospitals and make greater use of capacity in private hospitals.
"We will make sure that there is a separation between acute care, which people need in a hurry, and planned care, such as a scheduled hip operation, so operating theatres are operating more efficiently and there will be fewer cancellations.
"There will also be new radiography machines for cancer treatment, expanded access to stem cell transplantation in main centres and more focus on patients who have waited more than a year to get them assessed or treated.
"Without clear targets, performance slips. We need to focus resources, attention and accountability to improve performance.
"The Commissioner of Health New Zealand has assured me these targets can and will be achieved within current resources and will come with regular and transparent reporting.
"We're already investing more in health than any Government in New Zealand's history - around $30 billion a year.
"With that investment, we are also turning our backs on wasteful spending which doesn't demonstrate better outcomes.
"Every dollar spent on health is precious, however dollar signs and numbers on a page won't be the only way New Zealanders will see change in the health system.
"Our targets are designed so that every New Zealander should experience the change for themselves, however and whenever they need health care.
"Targets save lives."
