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The latest quarterly results for the six National Health Targets have been published.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says there is good improvement in the preventive health targets for quarter one 2011/12 – particularly with better help for smokers to quit.

"In this three month period, around 30,230 hospital patients who smoke received brief help and advice to quit – an internationally recognised health prevention measure. That's a national average increase of nearly four per cent (up from 85 per cent last quarter).

Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced the members of the Health Promotion Agency Establishment Board.

Dr Lee Mathias has been appointed chair. She is deputy chair of the Auckland District Health Board.

The other members are:
• Mr Hayden Wano, chair of Health Sponsorship Council
• Mr Rea Wikaira, chair of ALAC
• Professor Grant Schofield, public health expert in nutrition and physical activity
• Ms Katherine Rich, CEO Food and Grocery Council

Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced that the National government has approved a major redevelopment worth more than $3 million for Te Awhina, the Whanganui District Health Board's acute inpatient mental health unit.

Mr Ryall announced the approval during a visit to the DHB with local MP Chester Borrows today.

The Ministry of Health has started work with primary care to implement free after-hours GP visits for under six-year-olds.

Health Minister Tony Ryall announced last month that the Government was making funding available for GPs to offer the free after-hours service.

Mr Ryall says "The Government is keen to see free after hours for under-sixes in place, and the Ministry of Health is working through the initiative with primary care representatives. I have also asked the Director-General of Health to start DHB negotiations on this."

Health Minister Tony Ryall and the Minister for Science and Innovation Dr Wayne Mapp have announced funding for three cancer research projects.

Studies of bowel cancer, palliative care and prostate cancer will be undertaken by researchers at Auckland and Massey universities over the next three years.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says, "This research will build our knowledge of the incidence and impact of these particular cancers in New Zealand, and how health professionals from primary care through to specialists work together delivering treatment.”

Free visits to the doctor for children aged under six will be extended to after-hours under Government plans released today.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says district health boards will work with local GP networks and after-hours clinics to extend free medical care for under-six year olds to after-hours at an estimated cost of around $7 million a year.

A demonstration project where pharmacists have taken on a greater role in managing patients on the traditional blood thinning drug Warfarin, has resulted in excellent outcomes for patients and high levels of satisfaction.

An independent evaluation of the project, which has been running in 15 community pharmacies across New Zealand, confirmed that management of Warfarin treatment by pharmacists is safe and convenient for patients with heart disease, and could save millions of dollars.

A $10 million investment package to reduce harm from alcohol and drug abuse has been announced by Justice Minister Simon Power and Health Minister Tony Ryall.

The package is designed to assist thousands of people with alcohol and drug related issues of all severities.

The funding, which comes out of alcohol excise revenue, is on top of the approximate $120 million spent on specialist alcohol and drug treatment services each year.

The Government supports Health Select Committee recommendations around the early detection and treatment of prostate cancer which rule out a national screening programme at this stage.

It also backs HSC recommendations for the development of evidence based information and resources for men, so they can make informed decisions about prostate testing.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says, "I am aware that many men in New Zealand find the issue of prostate cancer management confusing and inconsistent."

More than half a billion dollars a year is spent by the public health service on diagnosing and treating cancer and this is set to increase more than 20 per cent by 2021.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says, "The Ministry of Health report, Price of Cancer, tells New Zealand for the first time how much taxpayers are paying for the care of people with cancers.

"Identifying each cancer when it is diagnosed and how much it costs to treat, makes it easier to see where future cost pressures are likely and how best to manage them.

The four year bowel screening pilot has been launched by National MP, Dr Jackie Blue on behalf of Health Minister Tony Ryall at Waitemata DHB in Auckland today.

The $24 million pilot will provide vital information which will help determine whether a bowel screening programme should be rolled out nationally.

Mr Ryall says, "This is an important milestone for New Zealand. We know from overseas experience that bowel screening can help save lives.

The Government has approved a total of $9.4 million in subsidies to improve drinking water supplies in small communities of under 5000 people.

“These subsidies will help 18 territorial local authorities and 11 private supplies to providing safer drinking water for about 22,000 people in small, disadvantaged communities,” Health Minister Tony Ryall said.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has welcomed Parliament's unanimous support for the Sleepover Wages (Settlement) Bill, passed today under urgency.

"This Bill resolves a dispute that dates from 2007 and sets in place a responsible and affordable framework for employers and employees in the health and disability sector," Mr Ryall says.

Health Minister Tony Ryall and the Minister for Science and Innovation Dr Wayne Mapp, have congratulated ESR on their successful international bid for a 5-year, multi-million dollar flu research and surveillance project.

The project is paid for by the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and is known as SHIVERS - the Southern Hemisphere Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Research and Surveillance.

A Bill to legislate the Sleepover wages settlement will be introduced to the House later today by Health Minister Tony Ryall.

The Sleepover Wages (Settlement) Bill will confirm the agreement between IDEA Services Ltd and its employees, and provide the framework to resolve other employers' and employees' claims.

Better links between the health technology sector and the health service are behind a plan to establish a national health innovation hub, say Economic Development Minister David Carter and Health Minister Tony Ryall.

The hub will assist with developing health technology ideas generated by clinicians and companies into business propositions, products and services.

“New Zealand’s health technology industry currently generates $1.8 billion in annual revenue but there is plenty of room for growth,” says Mr Carter.

A booklet telling people how to get a needs assessment and access home support services has been sent to organisations throughout New Zealand to help ensure people have easy access to the information.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says, "The booklet tells older people, their families and caregivers about how to access the support services to help them live independently in the community for as long as possible.

Cards containing the blood spots from heel prick tests on newborn babies will be kept indefinitely, with greater protections on access to the cards Health Minister Tony Ryall said today.

"The Ministry of Health is moving to enhance and protect privacy relating to the cards.

The Ministry of Health is to work with experts and Diabetes New Zealand to recommend new ways to support people with diabetes.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has made the announcement following a review of the Diabetes Get Checked programme, which concluded the programme is not making any appreciable improvement for people with diabetes.

The Government will contribute $90 million towards phasing in the minimum wage for disability support workers on overnight sleepover shifts.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says "Cabinet this morning agreed to provide $90 million towards phasing in minimum wage rates by July 2013, and $27.5 million towards the back pay liabilities of the providers."

IHC and other providers are also putting in money.

"People with disabilities and their families can be assured that providing quality support remains a priority for this Government," says Mr Ryall.

The Government has approved $15 million for Canterbury District Health Board to relocate Christchurch Hospital's outpatients unit and the Acute Medical Assessment Unit.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said, "We have fast-tracked the approval for this work so that the facilities will be ready in time for the 2012 winter peak in demand.

"The DHB's earthquake recovery plan has identified a need to increase short to medium term medical bed capacity, and to pull most of the General Medicine services back on to one site.

School children at six Flaxmere schools will continue to have their throats swabbed whenever they get a sore throat as part of an extra $12 million of government funding to combat rheumatic fever.

The Hawkes Bay 'Say Ahh' programme is the first of eight newly funded services around the country which detect and prevent rheumatic fever.

The Government has today released its response to the Health Select Committee's Inquiry into improving New Zealand’s environment to support innovation through clinical trials.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says "The inquiry found the approvals process is robust but it can take months, sometimes years.

"Applicants need electronic filing, they want much tougher time limits and they need the ethics committees working in a more effective way."

A record 145,414 patients received elective surgery in the year ended July 2011 says Health Minister Tony Ryall.

Elective surgery operations include hip and other joint operations, cataracts and grommets amongst other important life improving surgeries.

“This means an extraordinary extra 27,000 patients a year are now benefiting from elective surgery compared with the numbers treated under the previous Government”, Mr Ryall says.