How is your DHB performing?

The first quarter results of the new ‘slimmed down' 2009/10 Health Targets have been published within national and local newspapers today. 

Published to encourage public scrutiny of the health sector, the six health targets cover shorter waiting times for emergency department treatment, smoking, immunisation, diabetes and cardiovascular services as well as reduced waiting times for critical cancer treatment and elective surgery.

Northland DHB's first quarter results show it has exceeded or is meeting the Health Targets for elective surgery and critical cancer treatment but further progress is required by July 2010, for shorter stays in ED, increased immunisation, better help for smokers to quite and better diabetes and cardiovascular services.

Dr Nick Chamberlain, Northland DHB spokesperson and Clinical Services general manager says our ability to capture health care data - within our hospitals and the primary sector - is causing us some coding and data collection issues but these can be rectified.

 "We are confident that our smokefree performance will be higher than that listed, once the coding issues are resolved.  Our smokefree team is one of the best in the country and we also have a number of projects in place to reduce the prevalence of tobacco smoking in Te Tai Tokerau."

"Each target is one of a number of methods we use to measure our performance and while these new targets have been challenging to implement, they will produce measurable gains through steady and repeated improvement," said Dr Chamberlain.

Health targets do not replace other health priorities but are essential performance indicators, providing district health boards a focus for action and can be measured as to the impact they are making in improving health for all New Zealanders.

District health boards are expected to have achieved most health target by July 2010.

 2009/10 Health Targets - 1st Quarter - New Zealand wide 109.21 Kb
 2009/10 Health Targets - 1st Quarter - Northland specific 128.45 Kb

To obtain a copy of the Health Target report for the 1st quarter or for more information visit the Ministry of Health's health target website http://www.moh.govt.nz/healthtargets.

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For further information, please contact:

Fleur King, Public Relations Manager.
Northland District Health Board 
Phone (09) 430 4101 ext 3315