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Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew says New Zealand is well placed to detect and respond to Ebola if it were to reach the country.

This follows the first confirmed case of Ebola in the United States. A male has fallen ill after travelling from Liberia, which is one of the West African nations affected by the current Ebola outbreak.

“The Ministry of Health assessment is that the risk to New Zealand from Ebola remains low,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Around 500 Bay of Plenty residents a year will now be able to have their cancer treatment closer to home rather than making a 3 hour round trip to the cancer centre in Hamilton.

Health Minister Tony Ryall opened the $35 million Kathleen Kilgour Cancer Centre at Tauranga Hospital today.

“This new high-tech radiotherapy unit makes use of innovative technology with two state-of-the-art linear accelerators,” says Mr Ryall.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has welcomed the end of the recent measles outbreak in New Zealand.

“Since December last year there have been 281 confirmed measles cases across the North Island, with 15 per cent of these cases requiring hospital treatment,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“So it is great news that the outbreak now appears to be over, with no new cases reported since 10 August 2014.

“Public Health Units in the affected regions have been working hard to halt the spread of this highly infectious virus.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne has congratulated the team at the New Zealand Formulary as the number of users of this excellent resource has surpassed  the 1 million mark.

The New Zealand Formulary has been developed as part of the government's medicines strategy, Medicines New Zealand, aimed at achieving best use of medicines for optimal health outcomes. The Formulary provides an up-to-date, comprehensive and New Zealand-specific medicines information resource for New Zealanders, health professionals in particular.

A proposed settlement has been agreed that will lead to home support workers getting paid for the time they spend traveling between clients.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said Cabinet has agreed to a $38 million a year settlement which will now go out to employees, home and community support service employers and district health boards for ratification.

The Public Service Association and the Service and Food Workers Union will both recommend the proposal to their members which, if accepted, would take effect from 1 July 2015.

The number of doctors practising in New Zealand will continue to grow as record numbers of graduates have signed up for GP training next year says Health Minister Tony Ryall.

Figures from the Ministry of Health show 165 graduate doctors have accepted places into the General Practice Education Programme (GPEP).

“Due to the hard work of the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Medical Council of New Zealand, and Health Workforce NZ, there has been a substantial increase in the number of junior doctors interested in becoming a GP,” says Mr Ryall.

The Ministry of Health is investing $3 million to expand the roll out of patient portals and allow more people to securely access their health information online.

Health Minister Tony Ryall was due to make the announcement at the Practice Managers and Administrators Association Conference in Rotorua today.

“Patient portals are secure online sites which allow New Zealanders to access their personal health information and manage aspects of their health care,” says Mr Ryall.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced a new National Intestinal Failure service, costing $1 million over three years, will be established to improve the quality of care for patients suffering with intestinal failure.

Intestinal failure is a serious condition that affects a patient’s ability to keep up adequate nutrition. It is estimated there are around 300 New Zealanders who require long term intestinal care. 

New Zealanders are getting more immunisations, checks for diabetes and heart diseases and more help to quit smoking says Health Minister Tony Ryall.

“Primary health organisations (PHOs) are making great strides in preventing long term illness and helping New Zealanders live longer, healthier lives,” says Mr Ryall.

The latest National Primary Care target results shows:

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew welcomes Cervical Screening Awareness Month this September encouraging women to get up to date with their cervical smears.

“The theme of this year’s campaign is for women to think about how their health matters not just to them, but also to those they love,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“We know that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable of all cancers, but it’s all about early detection.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has given the go-ahead for the introduction of a single patient information system to all hospitals in the South Island.

“The South Island Patient Information Care System (SI PICS) will connect hospitals and health services in the South Island so health professionals can share information securely and provide patients with better care,” says Mr Ryall.

If your doctor suspects you have cancer, the Government will ensure you see a cancer specialist and receive treatment faster than ever before.

Health Minister Tony Ryall announced a new faster cancer treatment target will be introduced from 1 October during a visit to the Cancer Society’s Domain Lodge this afternoon with Prime Minister John Key.

“The new target will extend the scope of the current health target so people with suspected cancer receive faster access to all services from diagnostic tests to surgery or other treatment,” says Mr Ryall.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew is encouraging those eligible for a free flu vaccine to get in quick, with the programme due to wrap-up on 31 August.

The seasonal flu jab is free for people aged 65 years and over, pregnant women, people with long term health conditions such as severe asthma, and children under five years who have been hospitalised for a respiratory illness. In Canterbury, it is also free for those aged under 18.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew is urging hospital patients to take part in a new survey asking them for feedback on their health care.  

“Invitations to take part in the first of a new series of surveys will be sent today to 7500 people across New Zealand who spent at least one night in hospital from 4 to17 August 2014,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“I encourage people to fill in the survey, which is an important way of improving the quality of hospital care and understanding how well health services are working for patients and their families.

The latest National Health Target results show more New Zealanders are getting help to quit smoking and getting checked to see if they are at risk of developing diabetes or heart disease.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says the latest results reflect the government’s strong focus on prevention and improving the health of New Zealanders.

The National-led Government is increasing the rest home bed subsidy by $10 million a year – a 5 per cent increase – as part of the government's ongoing plan to meet the changing needs of our population.

Health Minister Tony Ryall today announced a $40 million funding boost over the next four years for aged residential care and dementia services. The extra funding was earmarked in Budget 2014.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has today announced the appointment of Dr Margaret Wilsher as the replacement crown monitor for Capital and Coast District Health Board (DHB).

Dr Wilsher replaces Debbie Chin, who was appointed acting chief executive by the DHB last year.

“Dr Wilsher is the Chief Medical Officer at Auckland District Health Board and a Respiratory Physician who has experience working both in the public and private sectors.

Latest provisional figures from the Chief Coroner for the year ending 30 June 2014, show an encouraging decline in the number of deaths by suicide among young people aged between 15 and 24 years with 110 suicides compared with 144 last year. The figures also suggest that suicide deaths amongst Māori may have stabilised as have suicide deaths in Christchurch, which, like last year’s figures, are back to pre-earthquake levels.

Public health officers are being given additional powers to hold aeroplanes and ships at the border if there is a sufficient concern that a person on board is infected with the Ebola virus, says Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew.

“The current Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the worst outbreak of this disease on record, leading to the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Health Minister Tony Ryall today announced Te Oranganui has been selected to lead a $2 million anti-obesity initiative in Wanganui which will help families improve their health.

Mr Ryall shared with news with locals while out and about in Wanganui this morning with Whanganui MP Chester Borrows.

“Healthy Families NZ is a new $40 million initiative which aims to improve people’s health where they live, learn, work and play in order to prevent obesity,” says Mr Ryall.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has today announced the responsibility for Chatham Islands health services will transfer to Canterbury District Health Board (DHB) from Hawkes Bay DHB next year.

Between 27 May and 17 June this year, the Ministry of Health held community meetings in the Chatham Islands and received a total of 106 submissions around a potential transition to a new district DHB.

Over 70 per cent of respondents indicated that responsibility should be transferred from Hawke’s Bay DHB, with the majority of those favouring a change to Canterbury DHB.

The National Cardiac Network, which is led by cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, GPs, nurses and other health professionals, continues to make gains and improve cardiac services in New Zealand.

Health Minister Tony Ryall today met with Prof Ralph Stewart, the new chair of the Network and a cardiologist at Auckland City Hospital.

“This network is an excellent example of the strong clinical leadership in our public health services,” says Mr Ryall.

Latest Ministry of Health data shows over 162,000 hips, knees and other elective operations were performed last financial year – 44,000 more operations than six years ago.

Mr Ryall says this significant increase means every day 170 more patients are getting the operations they need and they’re getting them faster compared to 2008.

“Elective surgery makes a real difference to patients and their families – it reduces pain, restores independence and improves quality of life.

Associate Minister of Health Tariana Turia says that research reports recently released show that Māori continue to face a number of barriers preventing them from accessing palliative health.