COMMUNICATIONS

CDHB explains reduced waiting lists

Canterbury District Health Board, in partnership with the Canterbury Hospitals Medical Staff Association, Primary Health Organisations and Pegasus Health, has written an open letter to the people of Canterbury explaining why a number of people will soon be removed from hospital waiting lists.

This letter was published in today’s The Press newspaper and yesterday’s Christchurch Star. A copy is attached to this media release.

Early next month, about 5000 people are to be removed from the waiting lists and returned to GP management because Canterbury District Health Board needs to comply with the long-standing national electives policy by 30 September 2006.

"As the national electives policy requires that people are seen or treated within six months, most people being returned to GP care will have been waiting six months or longer to see a hospital specialist or have hospital treatment," CDHB CEO Gordon Davies said.

"It is very distressing to remove people from the list and we are very sorry that our patients will be disappointed but we cannot continue to overpromise on what we can provide. The Board is compliant with the national electives policy in many specialties but over time several factors including acute demand and staff availability have meant the number of people waiting for elective services has risen beyond what is acceptable," he said.

The CDHB has been working closely with hospital specialists and General Practitioners to ensure that everyone removed from the lists will receive the best possible care in the current circumstances. Managers and health professionals have also been working alongside each other to establish a stronger system of prioritisation, so that in future those most in need are given hospital appointments within six months. "Patients will also have certainty when they are accepted for assessment or treatment."

Mr Davies is keen to emphasise that people being returned from the waiting lists does not mean fewer people are being treated by the CDHB; in fact more are being treated each year. For example hospital outpatient attendances rose from 375,000 in 04/05 to 408,000 in 05/06 and the total number of people discharged from CDHB hospitals rose from 81,120 to 84,749 in the same time period.

Of approximately 5,000 people being returned from the waiting lists, about half will have been waiting for a first specialist assessment, while the rest will have been booked for a hospital treatment. These figures could still drop significantly as General Practitioners and hospital specialists help to identify individuals, who for various reasons, no longer need to be included in the booking system.

Letters to patients being removed from the lists will be sent on 4 August. People with a condition that has worsened, since being added to the waiting list, will be advised to see their GP.

Patients requiring further information about this issue are advised to talk to their GP or practice nurse.

Media Contact – Michele Hider, CDHB Communications Manager, Ph 364 4103

or 0275 314 796