Heart & diabetes checks health target met

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says the latest health target results show the more heart and diabetes checks target was met for the first time.

“Around 1.2 million people have had their cardiovascular disease risk assessed in the past five years,” says Dr Coleman.

“This target has been in place for three years, during that time results have nearly doubled from 46 per cent in 2011/12 to currently 90 per cent.

“Health services are assessing patients’ heart risk in a timely way, and working with them to best manage those risks. The target also contributes to early identification and improved awareness of diabetes.”

The new childhood obesity health target will replace the heart and diabetes checks target from 1 July 2016. Heart and diabetes checks will remain an accountability measure for DHBs to ensure the gains made are not lost.

The elective surgery target has again been achieved with 49,730 elective surgical discharges provided – 1,852 more than planned.  

“The Government is committed to delivering year-on-year increases in elective surgery. We have delivered around 50,000 more surgeries over the last seven years - a 42 per cent increase,” says Dr Coleman.

The results for Quarter One 2015/16 (July-September) also show:

• The better help for smokers to quit primary care target now covers all PHO enrolled patients. This is the first time the new target has been reported – the national result was 83 per cent.
• 92 per cent of patients were admitted, discharged or transferred from the ED within six hours. There were almost 17,000 more ED presentations over the busy winter months, compared with the previous quarter. 
• Progress on the faster cancer treatment target increased to 69 per cent.
• Immunisation coverage for eight-month olds remained at 93 per cent.