Cancer patients waiting longer
Almost a third of Midcentral District Health Board’s new cancer patients are having to wait more than two months to start treatment.
Data from the DHB shows that between April and June, 31 people had to wait longer than 62 days for their first cancer treatment.
The Ministry of Health’s goal is to have 85 per cent of patients attended to in that timeframe.
With only 75 out of 106 people – 71 per cent – seen in time, Midcentral failed to hit the target.
This was a drop from the previous quarter at 77 per cent.
Cancer Society Central Districts Division chief executive Clare Crawley said any lowering of performance in patient treatment times was concerning.
‘‘Naturally, we are always interested in improving treatment times and outcomes for cancer patients.’’
Midcentral DHB chief executive Kathryn Cook said they continued to work toward achieving the national target.
‘‘Several projects are being undertaken to look at improvements that can be made in the referral and treatment pathway so that more eligible patients can receive faster cancer treatment.’’
Cook said there had been an increase in the number of people appropriately identified with a high suspicion of cancer at referral.
Breast cancer survivor Sarah Mckelvie found a lump in her armpit and was diagnosed in August 2015.
While sitting in her GP’S office, the registrar rang the public hospital to make an appointment for Mckelvie, but ‘‘nobody picked up’’, she said.
‘‘They were trying to ring the hospital to book an ultrasound and couldn’t get through to anyone.’’
Mckelvie said she was lucky her insurance covered her to get private treatment, otherwise she ‘‘might have been waiting around for a while’’.
"Several projects are being undertaken to look at improvements that can be made..." Kathryn Cook, Midcentral District Health Board chief executive
Within about three weeks, Mckelvie had been tested, diagnosed, and had surgery to remove the lump.
Midcentral was far from alone in not reaching the national target – not one DHB in the country managed to do so. The national average was 74 per cent.
Whanganui DHB led the country in the latest quarter’s performance with an 83 per cent rate. Lakes DHB was the worst with 56 per cent. By June 2017 the ministry expects 90 per cent of patients to be seen within 62 days.
Crawley said some cases could be complex.
‘‘At times, this can have quite an impact on the percentage target for those receiving treatment within 62 days.’’
She said it was important to understand if the lower rate was caused by this, or if it was due to other factors such as lack of resources. The society supported Midcentral’s initiatives to look at process improvements.