Canterbury continues to perform well on health targets despite ongoing Disruptions
The Canterbury Health System continues to perform well across all services despite ongoing disruptions caused by
earthquakes and snow this year. Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) chief executive David Meates has congratulated
the continuous efforts staff have made in achieving the Ministry of Health targets.
Mr Meates says despite an abnormally disruptive year, Canterbury has managed a shortfall of only 3.3 percent elective
surgery cases – down 504 cases on its 2010/2011 Ministry of Health target of 15,478 cases.
“This is a remarkable achievement given everything our health system has been through last financial year,” he says.
“After February 22 we had agreed with the Ministry to have a shortfall of about 740 cases. But we’ve done better than
that – and it’s a real credit to those who have worked hard to ensure people waiting for surgery get the treatment they
need.” Other achievements across the organisation include the Emergency Department’s efforts in achieving the health
target of 95 percent of patients leaving ED within six hours for four consecutive months.
Despite the ongoing consequential impacts of the earthquakes, the CDHB achieved 99.53 percent of the Shorter Waits for
Cancer Treatment Radiotherapy with only one patient waiting three days longer than four week target as a direct result
of the earthquake.
Health targets are a priority for the Canterbury Health System, which has proved it continues to make every effort, even
in adversity, to maintain them. Canterbury General Practices have also made a significant contribution to the health
targets during the disruptive earthquake period.
The national health target for child immunisation is 90 percent and despite the dislocation of our population this
health target has been achieved – an impressive result given the challenges that have been faced since the February
earthquake. The diabetes detection and follow-up result for the year was 53 percent (1 percent above target), and
cardiovascular disease risk assessment was 71 percent (only 2 percent below target).
Pegasus Health Senior Clinical Leader Dr Simon Wynn-Thomas says this has been achieved despite a number of general
practices being displaced, earthquake damaged, or affected by liquefaction.
“It is an amazing accomplishment at a time of huge stress. Particularly also as a number of General Practice staff
suffered severe damage to their homes or have even lost their homes completely,” Dr Wynn-Thomas says.
General practice teams have been excellent, supporting each other and ensuring that they are there for their patients.
The earthquakes have put enormous pressure on everyone and the fact that they have done so well to achieve what they
have is outstanding, he says.
ENDS