Rise in surgery rate hailed | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Wairarapa residents have the second best access to elective surgeries in the country.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said more than $11 million had been poured into health service improvements in the region over the past three years and in that time 264 extra elective surgeries have been completed,

Mr Ryall said performance efficiencies in Wairarapa over the past three years included more specialist appointments and shorter waiting times in emergency departments and for cancer radiation treatment.

There had been a 25 per cent increase in publicly funded chemotherapy clinics, record levels of immunisation, and improved diabetes and cardiovascular services and help for smokers to quit, he said.

Kieran McCann, Wairarapa Hospital general services manager, said the hospital had hit all health targets for elective services over all 11 specialties, and all but three had increases ranging from 16 to 269 more discharges than anticipated.

Wairarapa patients had the second best access to elective services in the country after the West Coast district, Mr McCann said.

The district also has the third highest intervention rate nationally for elective orthopaedic surgery.

Cate Tyrer, quality, safety and risk director, said patient feedback was positive with a consistent ratio of seven compliments for every five complaints offset by a "gradual downward trend in complaints".

However, Wairarapa Labour candidate Michael Bott said the increases in elective surgery turnover "may not be all they seem" and that other health services in the region had been sacrificed for increased surgical funding.

The funding for elective surgery has come from "brutal cuts" in other areas like mental health and addiction services and home help for elderly residents in the region, he said.

"The fact is that funding cuts have reduced the capacity of many health services. Front-line staff are doing back office work as well and everything else is getting squeezed to put more money into sexy elective surgery numbers," Mr Bott said.

"In reality, elective surgery comprises around 5 per cent of what the health system does. Ryall is disingenuous to try and claim success can be judged in health by focusing on how much of that particular activity is being carried out," he said.

"It runs the risk of becoming data cleansing."