West Coast DHB meets majority of health targets

West Coast DHB meets majority of health targets

The West Coast District Health Board has met five out of seven national health targets, topping the country in one target and narrowly missing two targets by eight and two patients respectively.

The DHB’s performance against six targets is measured quarterly and the figures for Quarter 4 in the 2014/15 financial year have been released today.

The West Coast DHB topped the national DHB charts for shorter stays in emergency departments (ED), with 100% of patients admitted, discharged, or transferred from ED within six hours.

Coasters were also receiving improved access to elective surgery, with 1721 elective surgical cases delivered during the 2014/15 year, representing 108.1% of the year-to-date target. Other targets exceeded or met included better help for smokers to quit in both hospitalised (98% against the 95% target) and primary care (90%, meeting the target); and more heart and diabetes checks (91% against the 90% target).

Small numbers affect Coast percentages greatly. Results include:

The target to provide patients with their first cancer treatment (or other management) within 62 days of being referred with a high suspicion of cancer, had been missed by eight patients. Work is ongoing to improve the capture and quality of the Faster Cancer Treatment data which will affect performance over the next few quarters.

Although the DHB did not meet the target to immunise 95% of all eight-month-olds on the West Coast, 85% were fully immunised during Quarter 4 with strong results for Asian (100%) and New Zealand European (95%). The rate of immunised Maori eight-month-olds dropped to 80% with four children missed.

Parents who ‘opt-off or decline’ to have their children immunised increased this quarter with a combined total of 16.6% — a 6.6% increase on the previous quarter which is reflected in reduced results.

Despite this, 98% of the eligible (consenting) population were immunised with only two children overdue at milestone age.

David Meates, West Coast and Canterbury DHB chief executive, was pleased with the results.

“They reflect the continued efforts of the West Coast health system to provide outstanding healthcare for the people of the West Coast.”

Full information on the West Coast DHB’s Health Target performance can be found on the West Coast DHB website (www.wcdhb.nz) and more information is available on the Ministry of Health’s Health Targets pages.

ENDS

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