Government funds an extra 10,000 operations a year

After months of pressure and problems with hospital waiting lists, the Government announced today a fair booking system was in place and an extra $200 million was being put into elective surgery.

Health Minister Pete Hodgson said most district health boards (DHBs) were now able to treat patients within six months -- the deadline they have to meet to get their share of the new funding which will provide 10,000 more operations each year.

Mr Hodgson said he was confident the few DHBs which did not have six-month waiting systems in place soon would.

DHBs will be able to contract with their neighbours for surgery, minor surgery can be contracted to GPs, and private hospitals can be used if they have spare capacity.

The $200 million is a four-year funding package, and Mr Hodgson said it was only possible because the DHBs had cut their lists to make sure patients did not wait more than six months.

"We now have one of the fairest and most transparent elective surgical systems in the world, where people who need treatment the most will get it first and where someone who is promised treatment will receive it in six months," he said.

"It is not acceptable for people to wait for long periods without being seen and it is not acceptable for people to be returned to their GPs without being seen.

"I regret that over the years New Zealanders have had exactly that experience. My hope is that that era is now drawing to a close."

Mr Hodgson said government policy and ethical considerations were driving this.

There were 1000 more doctors in public hospitals than there were when Labour came to power in 1999, and the Government had undertaken the largest hospital building programme in New Zealand's history.

"All the while, our hospitals have been treating more and more people every year -- 6000 more people received elective surgery last year than in 1999, but with a fair and effective system in place we are now in a position to do even better," he said.

"All DHBs have confirmed that they have surgical disciplines that can expand services if they receive funding increases."

In the 1999/2000 financial year there were 99,256 elective operations. In 2005/06 there were 105,437.

- NZPA