On this page you'll find information outlining the system achievements for hospital and specialist care as part of the health system reform implementation roadmap.
Horizon 1 – Financial year 2022-2024
- National clinical trials approach defined
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Responsible organisation: Ministry of Health
Context
Clinical trials are a core part of a high-performing health system, providing the evidence base for medicines, other health interventions and models of care. There is a need to create a national approach to clinical trials that supports investment in clinical priorities of the reformed system.
What will be achieved
An approach will be developed and agreed for a National Clinical Trials Network model and roadmap to strengthen the environment for clinical trials in the health sector.More information
- Wait lists for first specialist assessment & treatments reduced
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Responsible organisation: Health New Zealand
Context
Globally, health systems are experiencing acute pressures in planned care delivery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Within New Zealand, people are now waiting longer for care than at the start of 2022. People are entering the wait lists at faster rates than in the past, contributing to the wait lists getting longer before they can be reduced. The reform has enabled a national strategy and plan be developed to reduce wait times and remove barriers to ensure those waitlists are managed equitably and those most in need are prioritised.
This means that patients and whānau are assessed and treated faster, which leads to better health outcomes. Reducing the waiting time for the first specialist assessment means that diagnosis and treatment paths are accessed quicker which in turn leads to better health outcomes. A first specialist assessment is when a patient is referred by a GP or other medical professional for specialist advice about a health condition.
What will be achieved
- Activity to reduce waitlist through planned care
- National models for planned care e.g., Local hospital areas and regions collaborating to deliver planned care
- Introduction of a national equity adjuster
- Clinical Prioritisation: Nationally consistent framework introduced to review individual patients and urgent treatment provision to ensure longest waiting patients are prioritised.
- Theatre optimisation: A stock take of national operating theatre capacity and nationally consistent metrics to measure the utilisation of available theatre capacity to enable nationally consistent data to be applied to help use theatres more efficiently.
- A policy will be in place to enable a national approach to manage waitlists, enable equitable health assessments and eliminate disparities relating to patient location and communications to people on waitlists will be strengthened. Targeted recruitment and retention initiatives for Anaesthetic Technicians will support theatre capacity to be fully utilised.
More information
- Acute Patient flow improvement
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Responsible organisation: Health New Zealand
Context
The National Patient Flow programme is a multi-year programme of work aimed at measuring the patient journey through secondary care services. National Patient Flow will contribute to better integrated care so that patients can receive the most appropriate services, in the right setting and in a timely way to improve overall health outcomes. It will capture the outcome of the referral decision so that the demand for services and whether it is being appropriately met can be better understood. It will connect related patient referrals and activities to provide a complete view of the patient’s secondary care.
What will be achieved
A national patient flow programme will be agreed and implemented.
More information
Achieved 2022-23
- Removal of patient flow barriers and actions to reduce waitlist agreed
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Responsible organisation: Health New Zealand
Context
Globally, health systems are experiencing acute pressures in planned care delivery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Within New Zealand, people are now waiting longer for care than at the start of 2022. People are entering the wait lists at faster rates than in the past, contributing to the wait lists getting longer before they can be reduced. Reducing wait times means that patients and whānau are assessed and treated faster, which leads to better health outcomes.
Reducing waitlists is interrelated with winter wellness and workforce capacity. Winter preparedness work is focused on telehealth, primary and community care so that more people can get treatment closer to where they live, alleviating pressure on hospitals. There needs to be the capacity within the health workforce to enable planned care to be delivered.
What has been achieved
The Waitlist taskforce has completed a published action plan. National decision making has been introduced enabling more rapid deployment of investment to priority areas and to eliminate disparities relating to patient location. The improvement in equity of access to some specialist services is being supported by regional shifts in care and deployment of resources.
More information
Horizon 2 – Financial year 2024-2027
- Surgical capacity increased by implementation of improved clinical pathways and innovative service models (eg, cataract and bariatric)
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Responsible organisation: Health New Zealand
Context
There is currently an inconsistent approach across the country regarding the criteria to access cataract and surgery.
Māori and Pacific patients who have been recommended for bariatric surgery are not progressing to wait lists for treatment and surgery.
What will be achieved
Implementation of national plan to address volumes and service delivery for cataract and bariatric services.
More information