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Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced the Government has approved a $37 million state-of-the-art Elective Surgery Centre at North Shore Hospital.

Mr Ryall says "The Elective Surgery Centre (ESC) will be a radically new concept for New Zealand that will deliver a more efficient, patient-focused service and have a major impact on reducing waiting times for non-emergency surgery.

"It is part of National's election plan to build dedicated elective surgery theatres to provide more operations for New Zealanders.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has congratulated the Lakes District Health Board for achieving 100 per cent in the ‘Better Help for Smokers to Quit’ preventive health target, in the last quarter.

The national preventive health target is that 90 per cent of hospitalised smokers get advice and support to quit, and Lakes is the first DHB to achieve 100 per cent for a quarter.

Health Minister Tony Ryall is today opening a new three level building at Rotorua Hospital marking the completion of stage one of an $83-million redevelopment.

He says, "The new building is a huge improvement on the existing outdated facilities, and is designed to meet the needs of the community for the next twenty years. It cost $36 million.

"It is user friendly, housing all specialist outpatient clinical services together on the ground floor which is more convenient for both patients and staff.

Thank you for inviting me back to officially open the first stage of the Rotorua Hospital redevelopment. 

Many of you were here with me in October 2009 when I had the privilege of being the first person to "turn the sod" on this project..

Today – it is again a pleasure to be back here celebrating another stage in the project.

All up, the price tag for the redevelopment is $83 million.

Health Minister Tony Ryall today announced re-appointments to the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) board, and a new appointment to the Lakes District Health Board.

Current NZBS board member David Chamberlain has been appointed as Chair.

Current Deputy Chair David Wright and board member Tania Kingi have been reappointed for further three year terms.

Mr Ryall thanked outgoing Chair Anne Urlwin for her stewardship of the Blood Service. Mrs Urlwin was first appointed to the board in 2005 and became Chair in 2008.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says the Government is delivering on its plan to improve maternity services in New Zealand.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says the Fifth Annual Report of the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review committee (2009) confirms that maternity services are performing well, but improvements are needed.

"While today's report states our perinatal mortality rate is comparable to rates reported in Australia and the UK, New Zealand can do better.

"The government is delivering on its plan to improve maternity services, and today I am launching key parts of the new maternity quality and safety programme.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has approved an extra $800,000 over two years to help nurses better match the needs of their patients with the staff and resources available.

"Working out when and where health care is likely to be required is challenging for health services," Mr Ryall says.

"Matching patient demand with resources on the day is critical for providing a safe quality environment for patients and staff, and it also makes best use of the health dollar. 

Good afternoon.

Thank you for the opportunity to open your symposium this afternoon. I expect there will be a lot of interest. Not the least of which follows a call by the symposium organisers for higher taxes, significantly more regulation and lifting the age of entitlement for National Superannuation!.

May I welcome your keynote speaker Sir Michael Marmot to New Zealand.

The Medicines Regulations 1984 and the Medicines (Standing Order) Regulations 2002, have been amended to better align the law with modern medical practice.  

Health Minister Tony Ryall says "The amendments remove many requirements that are unnecessary, ineffective or excessively costly."

The updated regulations:

Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced a new set of guidelines is available to help health professionals manage patients with type 2 diabetes.

The guidelines have been developed by the Ministry of Health and the New Zealand Guidelines Group, and are available at http://www.nzgg.org.nz/practice-tools/diabetes.

Focused, early health care for vulnerable children and their families makes a real difference to their lives.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says the public health service is providing a significant contribution to three of the four priority areas in the Drivers of Crime Initiative, updated today in a progress report Addressing the Drivers of Crime.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced the appointment of Ms Theo Baker, as new Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner.

She replaces Ms Rae Lamb.

Mr Ryall says, "Ms Baker is a senior lawyer with extensive experience in the medico-legal field, and has previously worked at the Health and Disability Commission as legal counsel and as Director of Proceedings.

"As well as Deputy Commissioner, she is also the general manager of the complaints resolution division."

Ms Baker will begin her five year term later this month.

The first people on a new Government programme to help overseas-trained doctors prepare for New Zealand registration are about to take their medical exams.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says, "This Government recognises that health workforce issues are a top priority. We are taking action on a number of fronts.

Good afternoon.

First up, I’d like to thank the many health professionals and students in the room for their outstanding leadership and efforts during and after the series of Canterbury earthquakes.

The way in which you all worked together so effectively to care for your fellow citizens is truly humbling. I know that the challenges remain and the uncertainty persists, but please know that you are admired and appreciated for what you are doing.

The Government has pledged a special payment of up to $16 million to Canterbury District Health Board for earthquake related costs in the 2010/11 financial year ending today.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says, "Before the earthquakes, Canterbury DHB was projecting a break even at the end of this financial year. This additional payment will ensure they do break even and earthquake costs to date are covered.

"This is being paid for from unallocated and unspent funding within the Health budget.

Thank you for the opportunity to join you at the opening of your new 24 bed hospital wing here in Waikanae.

Today Winara Rest Home and Hospital is about to add a significant part to the continuum of services older people may need.

I'd like to acknowledge Bupa Care Services who've made a significant capital investment particularly in this region - with the opening of this much anticipated hospital wing today.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced that four District Health Boards  (DHBs) will trial a programme to lift performance in endoscopy units and make procedures such as colonoscopy a more comfortable experience.

Waitemata, Lakes, Wairarapa and Canterbury have been selected to run the year-long trial, beginning in August.

"The programme is based on a UK protocol called the Global Rating Scale (GRS). Three years after being introduced, UK endoscopy units increased the number of patients being seen on time from 16 percent to 82 percent".

Minister of Health Tony Ryall has released a National Cardiac Surgery Update detailing recent improvements in cardiac surgery in New Zealand.

“The update shows the improvements in access to cardiac surgery being made by the Cardiac Surgery Clinical Network which was established in 2009,” the Minister of Health, Tony Ryall said.

Health Minister Tony Ryall and Associate Minister for Health Tariana Turia says that Budget 2011 sees the Government put an extra $130 million into disability support services over four years.

Mr Ryall says, "An extra $8.5 million a year extra is going into residential support services with some of that to help deal with increasing numbers of people being supported in these facilities.

"Home and community services, for activities like showering, getting dressed, preparing a meal, and house work, is to receive another $6.6 million a year.

The Government wants to ensure every New Zealand child has the chance to be protected against preventable diseases, Health Minister Tony Ryall announced today.

Immunisation is one of the Government’s six Health Targets. Currently an all-time record 90 percent of New Zealand two-year-olds have had all the recommended immunisations. The Health Target is 95 percent by July 2012.

Health Minister Tony Ryall welcomes an initiative which is bringing the health and education sectors together to jointly address South Auckland’s health workforce needs.

Counties Manukau DHB has partnered with local tertiary education providers to establish a ‘Centre for Health System Improvement and Innovation’ – named Ko Awatea. 

The centre officially opened today in the grounds of Middlemore Hospital, where National MP Dr Paul Hutchison spoke on behalf of Health Minister Tony Ryall.

The Government has announced the combined pharmaceutical budget for 2011/12 will be $777.4 million – up from $710 million this year.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says part of this increase is made up of $20 million of new money the National Government has added to medicine spending.

"An estimated average 180 thousand extra patients have benefited every year from the Government's $180 million funding boost for medicines, since we took office."

A new set of guidelines to help residential aged care providers manage medicines as safely as possible, has been launched by National MP Jo Goodhew in Timaru today.

Mrs Goodhew is a former nurse, and launched the Ministry of Health guidelines at a meeting of GreyPower in Timaru today.

Releasing the Medicines Care Guides for Residential Aged Care on behalf of Health Minister Tony Ryall, Mrs Goodhew says, "They will provide a valuable and timely tool for residential care providers.