MEDIA RELEASE
August 26, 2014
Performance in primary health targets almost doubles in past year
The Canterbury District Health Board’s performance against its toughest health targets have paid off with an almost 40
percent increase over the past year.
The Canterbury DHB has achieved five of the seven targets – and made significant improvements on two of its primary care
targets in quarter four of the National Health Targets.
David Meates, Canterbury DHB chief executive, says efforts across the health system to achieve targets have been
remarkable.
“Improvements on the primary care targets for Better Help for Smokers to Quit and the More Heart and Diabetes Checks
have been outstanding over the past year going from 36 and 37 percent respectively in quarter one to 75 and 66 percent
in quarter four,” Mr Meates says.
“That’s an increase of around 40 percent and translates to around 105 people a day who are receiving support and advice
to quit smoking and another 133 people a day who are getting a cardiovascular risk assessment – this is nothing short of
impressive.”
Despite the ongoing challenges of running a health system in a post-quake environment, the Canterbury DHB is committed
to providing the best possible care through focusing its resources where they will be most effective, Mr Meates says.
“I’m also particularly impressed with our performance in the Improved Access to Elective Surgery target. This past year,
we performed 21,441 elective surgery procedures in Canterbury. Canterbury DHB is the largest public health provider of
elective surgery in New Zealand, and each year Canterbury DHB provides over 2500 surgeries for other DHBs.
Canterbury continues to achieve the ED health target, with 95 percent of patients admitted, discharged or transferred
from ED within six hours despite some challenges around increasing presentations.
“Attendance has shown strong growth among younger adults over recent months. Strategies to care for older people in
their own homes and the community are well embedded and have flattened previous growth over the past three years in this
age group,” David Meates said.
Find more on the health targets here
TargetQ1
13/14Q2
13/14Q3
13/14Q4
13/14TargetStatus Shorter Stays in ED
Patients admitted, discharged or transferred from an ED
within 6 hours.94%95%95%95%95% Improved Access to Elective Surgery
Canterbury’s volume of elective surgeries.4,388 YTD8,664 YTD12,640 YTD16,96116,861 Shorter Waits for Cancer Treatment
All patients, ready for treatment, wait less than four weeks for radiotherapy or chemotherapy.99.7%100%100%100%100% Increased Immunisation
Percentage of eight-month-olds who have had their primary course of immunisations on time.93%93%93%93%90% Better Help for Smokers to Quit
Hospitalised smokers receive help and advice to quit.95%95%95%95%95% Better Help for Smokers to Quit
Smokers attending primary care receive help and
advice to quit.37%49%65%75%90%x More Heart and Diabetes Checks
Eligible enrolled adult population having had a Cardiovascular Disease risk assessment in the last 5 years.36%45%58%66%90%x