Source: New Zealand Government
The Government has exceeded its first Elective Boost target, delivering more than 16,000 additional procedures so far and reducing wait times for patients, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
“In March, I committed to delivering an extra 10,579 procedures before 30 June so more Kiwis could get life-changing operations like hip, knee, and cataract surgeries sooner,” Mr Brown says.
“Final results show we achieved 16,005 procedures – 51.3 per cent more than planned. Every one of those procedures represents a New Zealander getting the care they needed faster, while also reducing pressure on elective surgery waitlists.”
The most common procedures completed were:
- 638 hip surgeries
- 751 knee surgeries
- 5,058 cataract surgeries
The impact is being felt right across the country:
- Northern region – 4,766 procedures
- Midcentral region – 5,051 procedures
- Central region – 2,961 procedures
- South Island – 3,227 procedures
People of all ages and backgrounds have benefited:
- 15 per cent were children, receiving operations such as tonsillectomies.
- 49 per cent were over 65 years old.
- 66 per cent were NZ European and other, 16 per cent were Māori, 11 per cent Asian, and 7 per cent Pacific peoples.
“That’s thousands of Kiwis who are no longer living in pain and can get back to exercising, work, running after their grandchildren, or driving again with confidence.”
The Elective Boost is a key part of the Government’s plan to reduce elective treatment wait times, especially for patients waiting more than four months. The long-term goal is to treat 95 per cent of patients within four months by 2030, in line with the Government’s health targets.
“Under the previous government, waitlists reached record highs. Between 2017 and 2023, the number of patients waiting more than four months for elective procedures surged by 2,500 per cent.
“We are turning that around. Waitlists for elective surgery are now smaller than they were at the same point last year. Since the Boost began, the total elective treatment waitlist has dropped by 9 per cent, and the number of people waiting more than four months has fallen by 22 per cent.
“This progress puts us on track to achieve the 2024/25 milestone of 63 per cent of patients receiving their elective treatment within four months.
“We’re making the health system work smarter, using both public hospitals and private providers in a coordinated national effort. New Zealanders don’t care who does the operation – they just want it done, and done quickly.
“This is just the start. The next phase is underway, with a target of an additional 21,000 procedures over the next year. We will keep working to get Kiwis the care they need, when they need it.”
