Elective surgery figures disputed

by industrial action by workforces like junior doctors’’ who were determined to get a better deal.

He said there had been an increase in the number of Avastin injections, for macular degeneration, being performed in more appropriate settings.

‘‘It may not always add to the electives total but it makes a real difference to New Zealanders’ quality of life.’’

Nelson Marlborough Health general manager clinical services Lexie O’shea said there had been increasing demand for health services, with an increase in inpatient admissions and acute admissions in recent years.

For a region with a ‘‘comparatively older population’’ there was a high demand for joint replacements and ophthalmology procedures such as cataract removal.

O’shea said strikes and industrial action throughout the year had resulted in longer wait times for some patients.

The ministry said DHBS reported 3764 surgical procedures and 23,743 outpatient consultations were cancelled or otherwise affected due to strike action in the first five months of the year.

O’shea said part of its contingency planning during the strike action was to book in more minor surgery than usual.

‘‘While the strikes meant that we were unable to undertake the usual amount of major planned surgery, we were able to fasttrack more minor procedures.

DHBS were now subject to ‘‘planned care targets’’ instead of elective surgery rates. For the current year, ending June 2020, Nelson Marlborough Health was expected to complete 7139 inpatient surgical discharges, 2523 minor procedures and 34 nonsurgical inventions.