Health Targets

Improved access to elective surgery

What is the target?

The volume of elective surgery will be increased by an average 4,000 discharges per year (compared with the previous average increase of 1400 per year).

Why is this target area important?

The government wants the public health system to deliver better, sooner, more convenient healthcare for all New Zealanders.

Over the period 2000/01 to 2007/08 the number of publicly funded elective surgical discharges rose by an average of 1,432 discharges per annum. The growth in elective surgical discharges did not keep up with population growth over this period. There is a need to increase the rate of growth of elective surgery. This in turn will increase access and should achieve genuine reductions in waiting times for patients.

Who is the Ministry of Health champion of this target?

Kieran McCann, Manager, Elective Services

Related information

Elective Services section

Website feedback
We welcome your feedback on this webpage.

Page last updated: 22 November 2009