Government to deliver 13,000 more cancer infusions by end of year

Health Minister Simeon Brown says increased funding will mean 13,000 additional cancer infusions will have been delivered by the end of the current fiscal year, a 12% increase.

He announced the figure at Waitākere Hospital to mark the opening of community cancer infusions in West Auckland.

The Government has been expanding community cancer infusion services after a $604 million (over the forecast period) lift to the Pharmac budget in Budget 2024 delivered 66 new medicines, including 33 cancer treatments.

There was also a $210m investment announced as part of the same Budget to upgrade facilities, purchase equipment and increase the workforce needed to deliver additional treatments.

Brown said the service would mean West Aucklanders would not need to travel into the city for treatment.

He said the lift in infusion services available would mean 14 New infusion centres opening and a further 14 expanding

“Once fully implemented, the expansion will deliver 218 more chair-days of treatment space each week. This will allow hundreds more patients to be treated weekly across the country, with each chair typically used by three to five patients per day,” he said.

“As part of this investment, a nationwide programme is underway to meet rising demand and ensure more consistent access to care, no matter where people live,” Brown said.

He said the Government would be “actively recruiting for additional staff to deliver infusion services, including Senior Medical Officers, specialist nurses, pharmacists and other allied health professionals.”

The Government said new and expanded services had been rolled out at:

• New centres in the Bay of Islands, Buller and Waitākere.
• Expanded services in Whangārei, South Auckland, Taupō, Wairoa, Napier, Whanganui, Wellington, Christchurch and Timaru.

In the years to 2028, the following services were expected to be rolled out:

• New centres in Dargaville, Henderson, Greenlane, South Auckland, Te Kūiti, Hāwera, Waipukurau, Horowhenua, Golden Bay, Christchurch and Rolleston
• Expanded services in Kaitaia, North Shore, Taranaki, Kāpiti and Ashburton

The Government has set a target of having 90% of patients receiving cancer management within 31 days of the decision to treat.

The most recent data, which captures the period to December last year, shows 87% of patients receiving treatment in this period, up from 85.9% the same quarter of the previous year.

There remains significant regional disparity, with some regions already above the 90% target, while others remain well short of it.