Patient-Focused New Zealand Health Plan Tabled
Health New Zealand's New Zealand Health Plan was tabled in Parliament this afternoon.
Developed by Health New Zealand, the plan is a requirement under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022.
'The plan outlines how Health New Zealand will deliver on the Government's health priorities over the period 2024–2027,' Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
'It sets the direction for how we will improve health outcomes and ensure all New Zealanders can access the care they need, where and when they need it.
'It gives effect to the Government Policy Statement on Health 2024–2027, with a clear focus on the Government's five health targets and five mental health targets:
Health targets:
faster cancer treatment
improved childhood immunisation
shorter stays in emergency departments
shorter wait times for first specialist assessments
shorter wait times for elective treatment.
Mental health and addiction targets:
faster access to specialist mental health and addiction services
faster access to primary mental health and addiction services
shorter mental health and addiction related stays in emergency departments
increased mental health and addiction workforce development
strengthened focus on prevention and early intervention.
'The plan is focused on achieving the Government's health targets, ensuring the health system delivers real results for patients and communities. These targets are backed by clear accountability and transparent reporting, so the public can track progress on a regular basis.
'Reducing wait times is a key priority for the Government. Too many New Zealanders have been left waiting far too long for the care they need. Under the last Government, waitlists ballooned – with the number of Kiwis waiting more than four months for elective procedures like hip, knee, or cataract surgeries increasing by over 2,500 per cent.
'Health New Zealand is focussed on delivering the Elective Boost programme, which will deliver 21,000 additional procedures over the 2025/2026 year to help clear the backlog of patients needing care.'
The plan also sets out how the Government will grow and support the health workforce; improve clinical leadership with continuous quality improvement and innovation; invest in essential hospital infrastructure; ensure services are delivered more consistently across the country; and strengthen primary care across New Zealand so that people can receive timely, quality care in the community.
'Our focus is clear: putting patients back at the centre of the health system. We're building a system that delivers real results, and this plan is a key part of that,' Mr Brown says.
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