Hawke's Bay DHB pleased with health target progress

22 Aug 2017, 10:20

Hawke’s Bay District Health Board is pleased the hard work of staff has been rewarded with it achieving all but one of the national health targets, quarter four results, released today (Tuesday 22 August).

Acting chief executive Sharon Mason said for the first time the district health board had hit the Raising Healthy Kids target, which will have a significant positive impact on the future health of our children.

Mrs Mason said while the district health board was just short of meeting the 82 percent Faster Cancer Treatment target with 77 percent of people having their first cancer treatment within 62 days of being referred with a high suspicion of cancer, and a need to be seen within two weeks, there had been a big improvement.

"We are very encouraged to see the background work on getting processes in place to improve the way we manage patients with a high suspicion of cancer making headway with this quarter’s results."

Huge strides have also been made by Health Hawke’s Bay (Primary Health Organisation) in meeting the better help for smoker’s target, she said.

"This is a significant achievement, and its success impacts significantly on the future health of our community - the less people that smoke the better health peoples health outcomes are.”

Mrs Mason said she was delighted to meet the targets for access to elective surgery and shorter stays in Emergency Department.

“Meeting these targets is a real tribute to hospital staff as it takes everyone working together as a team to move patients safely and efficiently though the Emergency Department, surgical theatres and wards to enable us to meet these two targets". 

“Again our immunisation teams are amongst the best in the country with 95 percent of eight month old having all three of their immunisations. Having very good immunisation rates makes our children less exposed to diseases like measles and mumps as they circulate through the country".

“These results are another opportunity for us as a district health board to thank everyone working in the health system in Hawke’s Bay for their ongoing hard work and commitment to making a difference to the health outcomes of our community.”