Bay of Plenty and Lakes are among DHBs nationwide improving on a number of Ministry of Health targets.

Both local DHBs have performed well in regards to faster cancer treatment.

The target involves 85 per cent of patients receiving their first cancer treatment (or other management) within 62 days of being referred with a high suspicion of cancer, and a need to be seen within two weeks by July 2016.

BOPDHB has made a significant improvement, almost meeting the target with 82 per cent, up nine percent from the previous quarter. BOPDHB now ranks fourth in the country for this target and is just four per cent off the top-performing DHB.

'We are pleased to have improved performance against this target,” says surgical service business leader Bronwyn Anstis.

'There has been a focused effort to ensure patients are able to achieve their first treatment within 62 days of being referred.”

Lakes DHB has again lifted its performance for quarter one (July-September 2016), moving to 10th place from its previous position at the bottom of the table for faster cancer treatment.

They too are not far off the target, currently sitting on 78 per cent.

In other areas, Lakes DHB has nudged up two points to 91 per cent for the shorter stays in ED target. The target is 95 per cent of patients will be admitted, discharged or transferred from an ED within six hours, and is a measure of the efficiency of flow of acute patients through public hospitals, and home again.

Service Manager Roger Lysaght says the ED team has been working on a number of initiatives to assist with the flow of acute patients, including the introduction of a new clinical flow manager role. The new role focuses on reviewing and implementing new strategies to assist with patient flow through the hospital.

BOPDHB maintained its performance of 94 per cent, just one point shy of the target.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says health targets drive performance across the health system, ensuring that New Zealanders get better access to key health services.

'The latest health target results for July to September 2016 are a credit to our hardworking health workforce across the country.”

The national health target results for Quarter One 2016/17 (July-September) show:

• Results for the faster cancer treatment target increased four per cent to 78 per cent.
• 93 per cent of patients were admitted, discharged or transferred from the ED within six hours, down one per cent on the previous quarter.
• 87 per cent of PHO enrolled patients were offered help to quit smoking, down one per cent on the previous quarter.
• Immunisation coverage for 8-month-olds remained at 93 per cent.