Health targets: How the Bay stacks up

The number of elective surgeries being performed in the Bay is up but the proportion of patients receiving their first cancer treatment within 62 days of being referred has dropped.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says the health targets continue to drive performance across the health system, with the gains made in the previous quarter largely maintained in Bay of Plenty DHB.

"These results are a credit to the health professionals in the Bay of Plenty," Dr Coleman said.

"The elective surgery target was again achieved nationally. This Government is committed to delivering more elective surgery to meet demand - we've delivered around 50,000 more surgeries over the last seven years.

"Bay of Plenty surpassed the elective surgery target by 10 per cent.

"Bay of Plenty maintained its results on shorter stays in ED, one per cent below the target at 94 per cent.

"Further progress is needed on faster cancer treatment, immunisation coverage for eight month olds, and better help for smokers to quit."

In quarter three only 69 per cent of patients received their first cancer treatment (or other management) within 62 days of being referred with a high suspicion of cancer and a need to be seen within 2 weeks, down 6.7 per cent on the previous quarter.

The target is for all health boards to see 85 per cent of patients receiving treatment in that time by July 2016. So far, no health boards have reached the target but but 11 district health boards maintained or improved their result compared with last quarter.

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