New data highlights that while the Government’s commitment to health targets continues to stabilise the health system, increased service delivery is required to get on top of waitlists, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
“Ensuring all Kiwis have access to timely, quality healthcare is a priority for the Government. I am encouraged by Health New Zealand’s release of second quarter 2024/25 results today, which show improvements in three of the five health targets,” Mr Brown says.
“Wait times in emergency departments continue to reduce, with 72.1 per cent of patients being admitted or discharged within six hours, an improvement from 67.4 per cent in the previous quarter.
“Access to faster cancer care continues to improve, with 85.9 per cent of patients receiving treatment within 31 days – just 0.1 per cent away from the yearly milestone.
“And more children are now fully immunised, with 77 per cent of two-year-olds being immunised in the second quarter of this year, up from 75.7 per cent in the previous quarter.”
The data also confirms that more work is needed to get on top of waitlists for those waiting over four months for elective treatment and first specialist assessments, which grew by 2,500 per cent and 6,400 per cent respectively under the previous government.
“While performance declined for the elective treatment and first specialist assessment targets, more was delivered by Health New Zealand in 2024, with more Kiwis having their elective surgeries and first specialist assessments than previous years.
“However, more people are being added to waitlists than who are receiving treatment or assessments, which means there is still significant work required to improve the pace at which elective treatment and first specialist assessments are being delivered.
“Delivering more at a faster rate than patients are added to waitlists is key to reducing waitlists and wait times.
“That’s why I recently announced the elective boost, partnering with private hospitals to maximise operating capacity and expand procedures. This initiative will deliver 10,579 additional procedures by mid-year, with 2,000 already completed, including cataracts, hip, and knee replacements.
“We are reducing specialist assessment delays by improving waitlist management, expanding service models, and implementing initiatives like AI diabetes retinal screening and Kaitaia’s complete cataract care pathway to free up waitlists.
“To further ease pressure on hospitals and emergency departments, our Government is taking action to ensure New Zealanders have increased access to more doctors and nurses and expanding primary healthcare options.
“The Government is investing more than ever into our health system – a record $30 billion each year – and we expect it to deliver more for patients as a result.
“By measuring what matters and holding the system accountable, we are putting patients first and supporting our frontline healthcare workers to deliver the healthcare New Zealanders need in a timely and quality manner,” Mr Brown says.
* First specialist assessment data for 2024 excludes the Auckland district.