The Bay of Plenty District Health Board is getting a new toolkit to assist in the reduction of waiting times and improve the quality of elective surgery.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says district health boards, including the BOPDHB, have made great progress increasing elective surgery for patients performing 27,000 more operations now compared with number in 2008.

'But there's still room for improvement. Elective surgery, such as hip and other joint operations, cataracts and grommets, improves the quality of a person's life by relieving pain and restoring ability.

'The Improving Patient Flow for Electives toolkit provides district health boards with strategies and support to make further improvements so even more people receive elective surgery.”

Tony says the strategies are based on successful initiatives from around the country with clinicians and senior managers from district health boards providing valuable insight into the benefits and barriers in the case studies.

'Strategies include clinicians and management working together better, improving theatre scheduling and implementing enhanced recovery after surgery programmes.”

A copy of the toolkit is available online at:

www.health.govt.nz/publication/improving-system-meeting-challenge